It started with the summer
by FlorLola
Summary: Michiru is a violinst with a broken family and in need of a way out. Haruka is a car racer with a broken heart, and a big crazy family. Join this two in a journey towards acceptance, new beginnings, frienship, & love. AU. Ruka/Michi. My first story ever!
1. I need a way out

**Disclaimer and general notes**

First things first! Besides my computer, I don't own anything! All Sailor Moon characters belong to Naoko Takeuchi. I'm just a college student with a wide imagination, and an undeniable love to Sailor Moon. Only Keiichi and Kiho belong to me, I swear! So please don't sue me!

A little warning. The main characters are Haruka and Michiru. And yes, they are lesbians. Not friends, not cousins, lesbians. And of course there will be some sexual tension and interaction between the two. So if you are in any way uncomfortable with this, please don't read. I know for a fact there are a lot of fanfics that would be much more of your liking.

Besides the homosexual general line of this story, there's also some language and just generally adult conversations and/or situations. So, if you're under 18, you probably shouldn't read this. You've been warned!

All characters will be making an appearance, some more than others, just so the story can work out the way I want it. I will be taking some characters a bit out of character from time to time (specially Usagi, and probably Mamoru) just because I want to. And I'll be using the japanese names 'cause I like them better (I mean, really, Amara?? Haruka just sounds so much more, well, Haruka!). I don't really know that much about Japan general geography, so be nice and work with me. And I don't really follow their costumes, so you can say they're living in Japan, or anywhere else you'd like them to. Use your imagination on that one!

There are some chapters with a somewhat darker tone, but the story in general is suppose to be a funny romance and general friendship fic.

For the record, and to avoid future misunderstandings, on this particular story, Haruka and Makoto are both 19 years old. Mamoru is 24, and Usagi is somewhere between his age and Setsuna's, who's 22. Michiru, Minako, Rei and Ami are all 17, and little cute Hotaru is 5. To find out if they are somewhat related and how exactly they all know each other, you'll just have to read this story. Ok? Great, now on with the story!

Hope you like it!

* * *

**1 -I need a way out**

She sat on her bed and red the letter for the millionth time, wondering if she would be able to actually do it. Sure, she had planned everything to the last little detail. She knew for a fact that they would accept her as a student. She was, after all, a very good violinist. The very best one this side of the country, and she was only 17 years old.

It all started four months ago, on one of her recitals at school. It was some stupid recital to celebrate the school's soccer team success on the nationals, and some teacher had asked her to play. So she did. Not out of school spirit, like everyone else, but out of passion for her instrument, her music, and that magic world she entered whenever she played her violin.

A woman on her late forties had approached her after the recital, and giving her a business card, told her that the Silver Moon Music Academy would be more than grateful to have her as a student next year.

At first she thought someone was playing a very bad joke on her. Of course she had heard of the Silver Moon Music Academy, and of course she knew for a fact there would be no way she would be attending to that particular school. Her mother couldn't pay for it, and neither her nor her bad excuse of a husband would allow it. Send her across the country? No way! They wanted her with them, were they could keep a close eye on her, and the money she made with her music.

Of course she didn't say any of this to the woman, Saeko Fukami was her name. No, she simply told her she wasn't interested. After this school year was over, she would be free of school for the rest of her life. _Free of all of them and they're pitying, questioning eyes_, she said to herself.

But Miss Fukami had insisted.

"There's a form you could fill, for a full scholarship, for you to come to our school and not have to worry about anything but your music. It is the perfect place for an excellent musician like yourself to improve, if that's even possible according to what I heard tonight. Anyway, it might be a good experience for you, please think about it" Miss Fukami had say that night.

She fold the letter, putting it on the white envelope again, and tucking it under her mattress.

Of course she thought about it. Right after Saeko Fukami said those magic little words, full scholarship, she had though about it non stop for the last four months.

So she had sent the form, along with her grades, and a letter of recommendation from her music teacher at school. And waited. And prayed.

This was her way out. Out of this house, out of this life she was so tired of. So scared of.

She didn't even feel like herself anymore. She didn't feel anything... So she had to run. She desperately needed a way out.

And that school was so perfect! It was on a somewhat small town, far away from here... And it was that same town where she knew Setsuna had moved to. It had been three years since she last saw her and little Hotaru.

Back when Setsuna lived on a small apartment with her little 2 year old daughter, working at a music shop as an assistant, trying to come up with enough money to pay her rent and feed her little sunshine.

Back when her father was still alive, and they were still a loving family.

But something had happened to Setsuna's family, and she went back to her home town to take care of some family members of hers. Oddly enough, right after Setsuna left, her own father died on a really stupid car accident that should of never happened in the first place.

Some irresponsible teenager had crossed the red light, hitting his full speed running car right against her father's, crushing it in such a way, that in order to take him out of it and to a hospital, they had to literally tore the car apart. More that it already was...

She could still remember that day as if it had just happened. The way the principal entered her classroom, asking for her to come with him, with the saddest expression on his face. The way he told him her father just had an accident, and that a car was waiting for her outside school to take her to the hospital.

Her mother was already there when she had arrived, sitting on the waiting room with tears in her eyes, listening to what some doctor was telling her.

"Where's dad?" she had asked, without listening to what the doctor was saying.

She remember them saying something, trying to explain something or the other to her, but all she cared about was her dad. Was he ok? Where was he?

Soon they took her and her mother to one of the emergency rooms. And there was her father, with some really big ugly looking metal peace plugged to his midsection, hooked up to all kinds of machines, and blood all over him. But he was awake, and looking at his daughter.

"Guess I won't be able to take you to that beach, sweetie" he had said in the most shallow tone of voice she had ever heard coming from her father.

"No, daddy, don't say that" she begged, "you'll be fine, you'll see. The doctors will fix whatever is wrong, and you'll be coming home with us, you'll see..."

"Michiru" her father had interrupted her "I won't be coming home... I'm sorry"

And that's when she understood her mother's heartbroken tears, the doctor's words, her father's sad voice. There was no way for him to make it. He wouldn't be ok.

"No, daddy!". She had said, taking her father's hand in hers, pleading him to stay with her.

But she knew, deep down inside she just knew that her father was dying, and there was nothing any doctor in this damned planet could do to stop it. He had internal bleeding, his legs were crushed, and he was incredibly pale. He had lost too much blood already, and the moment they took that metal out of him, the bleeding would be just too much to stop it. He had been aware of this all along, and had asked for time, whatever little time they could give him, to say goodbye to his wife and to his daughter.

All in all, it was a miracle he was alive long enough to see his daughter one last time.

Michiru hugged her legs and buried her head between them, trying hard not to cry over the memory. Not to cry over what her life became after her father died.

She felt like she was dead already, even though she was still breathing and functional. She hardly ever smiled anymore. She didn't really find a reason to. Not anymore. Not with her mother giving her cold glances, not talking to her like they used to. Not with that man that was now her stepfather, living on the same house, sleeping on the same bed her father had occupied.

A shiver ran down her spine, and she laid down on her stomach, closing her eyes. That man. That damned man. His black cold eyes scared her to no end, even tough he had never done anything to her.

But the way he laid eyes on her... Under his cold eyes, she felt like a little helpless rabbit waiting for the big black wolf to eat her alive.

And she knew, she just knew, that man was dangerous. So she tried her best not to be alone around him. School, her violin practice, and his job did the trick for most of the day. The lock on her bedroom door did it for the nights. She couldn't really explain it, but somehow she just _knew_ he was waiting for the right moment to hurt her. To really, truly hurt her, and destroy her.

She thought of the letter again. They had accepted her. They wanted her in. Two more days for school to be over, and then the summer. And afterwards she would be free.

She just had to figure out a way to escape without them knowing.


	2. Morning routine

**2 - Morning routines**

The tall, short blonde haired young woman woke up laying on her stomach, hugging her pillow, and with her bed sheets tangled around her long legs.

As usual.

Eyes still closed, she vaguely wonder how long until her alarm would set off, telling her, _demanding_ her to wake up and start her day. Oh how she hated mornings...

And then, she smelled it. It was faint, probably because her bedroom door was closed, and she was currently on the first floor of the house. And she was willing to bet everything she owned that the smell came from the kitchen downstairs.

_God, I love that woman!_ she thought, smiling, and opening her green eyes to the dark of her own bedroom.

Somehow she managed to get out of the bed without falling flat on her behind, and went out of the room. No need to put something on, or changing out of her pajamas. That could wait, her stomach couldn't!

So she carried her bare feet down the stairs, hugging herself to get somewhat warm. She was wearing a thin black sweatshirt and white cotton shorts after all. But the moment she entered the kitchen, she forgot about everything and anything, except the beautiful view that was offered to her still sleepy eyes.

"Pancakes!" she exclaimed with a big smile on her face, at the same time that a cup of steamy black coffee was offered to her.

"You're hopeless" told her the tall woman standing beside her, with an apron around her waist, her beautiful chocolate curly hair up in a ponytail, and her incredibly deep green eyes shinning with amusement, even though she was waiving her wooden spoon to the other occupant of the kitchen, a little five year, old black haired, violet eyed girl sitting on the counter, her tiny little hand slowly approaching the plate full of delicious pancakes "Don't even think about it! Now go get your mother and tell her breakfast's ready"

"You're so mean, Mako" said the blonde woman once the little girl was out of the kitchen, taking a sip from her coffee "Why on earth you make such heavenly food and then don't let us eat it, it's beyond me!"

"Because!" the brunette, Makoto, explain "We're suppose to be a family, and families have breakfast together, that's why! Besides, if I let you and Hotaru alone in this kitchen with these pancakes, there would be nothing left for the rest of us!"

"But we have breakfast together every single morning! What's wrong with me and Hotaru starting a tiny little bit earlier than everyone else?" she asked playing innocent, now sitting on the same counter Hotaru had been sitting on.

Makoto looked at her with a funny expression on her face for a couple of seconds, but then started laughing at the other woman, who simply sat there, holding her coffee cup and staring at the laughing woman.

"Oh, God, Haruka, you really are hopeless!" she said, wiping the tears that had escaped her eyes "Now for once, stop thinking with you stomach, get your lazy ass out of my counter and sit down like a real lady"

"And who told you I'm a lady?" the blonde asked her "Really, who said such a big fat lie to you, huh? I'll kill the poor bastard!" she exclaimed, standing up and putting on a fighting stand.

"Isn't it a little too early to be killing someone?" asked a third voice behind them "And who's lying about what? And... do I smell pancakes?"

"Yes, Sets, pancakes, and fresh coffee, and strawberry cake" listed Makoto to the tall, long dark green haired woman, while pointing at everything with her spoon "And no one's lying, and no one's gonna get killed" she said the last part looking at the blonde "That's just Haruka being... well... Haruka"

"Oh, but you love me anyway!" Haruka exclaimed, hugging the brunette "I'm just way too adorable!"

"That's what you think!" Makoto mumbled, before exchanging glances with Haruka, and then they both started laughing.

The other woman just looked at them and rolled her magenta eyes "You're both hopeless" she mumbled "One would think you're a bit too old to still be arguing about nothing in particular every single morning... You're both nineteen years old, for God's sake! Grow up already!"

At these words, they both stop laughing and looked at each other. And before Setsuna could say another word about how ridiculously childish they could get, two sets of arms encircled her, a brown haired head on her lap, a blonde one on her shoulder.

"We're sorry, Sets, please don't be angry at us!" Haruka exclaimed, with her best child like tone of voice.

"Yes, please, we were just fooling around" added Makoto, looking up at Setsuna with puppy eyes "Please don't be mad at us! We promise we'll be nice girls and kiss and make up! Pretty please?"

"Oh get off of me, both of you!" Setsuna exclaimed, laughing at the girls' antics. They really were hopeless. But she just loved them anyways.

"Can I have my pancakes now, please?" asked Hotaru, entering the kitchen. She looked at the two women hugging her mother and smiled, not really minding the funny scene in front of her. It was, after all, an every day occurrence in that house.

"Of course, sweetie" Makoto said, getting up and handing the little girl her pancakes and a glass of milk.

"Just for the record" Haruka said, sitting on the chair next to Setsuna and looking at Makoto "I'm not kissing you. No freaking way!"

"Oh, you know you want to!" Makoto said, winking at the blonde.

Haruka mumbled something, Setsuna rolled her eyes, and Hotaru simply ignored everyone around her and dedicated all her attention to the food in front of her.

Two hours later, Setsuna and Makoto were already out for work at the book store that also worked as a small coffee shop they both owned. Hotaru had left the house with her mother, on her way to a friend's house. Which left Haruka all by herself on the big house.

After a long warm shower, Haruka put on some loose jeans, a wide white t-shirt with grease spots all over it, and headed downstairs, to the garage that was big enough to fit five cars in it. Currently, there were two, Haruka's old red sport car- which she claimed had too much of a sentimental value for her to get rid of-, and then there was her new baby.

It was a magnificent yellow convertible she just got a couple of days ago from some young man who decided he no longer wanted the car, and sold it to her at a ridiculously low price, saying the thing wasn't working.

It was true, the car was in deep need of a new motor -a stronger, faster one-, new tires for sure, and definitively a new stereo. No car of hers could ever have such a lame excuse of a stereo! But the car was just too much for Haruka to pass on, and she knew she could fix it and make it look brand new with just a little bit of hard work.

She had been around cars before she even learned how to walk. Her father had taught her everything and anything she needed to know about the mechanics. And her career as a car racer made the rest. She could fix a car with her eyes closed.

She turn on the radio, without really paying attention to what was on, and started to work on her baby. She opened the hood and looked around a bit, while a soft smile played on her lips.

Sometimes, she could still hear her father's voice in her head, telling her what was wrong with the car and how to fix it. She missed him so much...

But he would be proud of her. That much she knew. He would be so proud of her career, of her ability to stand on her own two feet, to keep the family together, on how well everything turned out for all of them...

Her older brother was now happily married to a beautiful and loving young woman, and they were now expecting their first child. Her little sister was chasing down her dreams of becoming a model –and doing great at it. Setsuna and her little kid where no longer away from the family, no longer hiding from the so-called shame of being a single mother with a child to take care of.

Haruka frowned at that thought. She still couldn't understand, for the life of her, how Setsuna's parents had turned their back to their own daughter. So she had ended up pregnant at the tender age of seventeen, and the guy had took off as soon as he had found out about the baby. So what? Was that reason enough to ignored your own daughter, leaving her alone on the streets?

They had literally threw her out! Setsuna had gone through really hard times... But now, now they were living together, she even owned a shop with Makoto, and they were doing great.

And her... _Maybe things didn't turn out great for everyone after all_, she said to herself. But shook her head as soon as the thought entered her head. She was doing just fine. She had a promising career as a car racer, she was an excellent piano player –or so everyone told her-, and she was taking care of her family. Nothing else mattered.

Not the loneliness that embraced her heart at nights some times, when everyone else was asleep and she lay wide awake on her bed, wondering if there was someone out there waiting for her... Waiting to hold her, to just love her and accept her the way she was, instead of trying to mold her into something she would never be.

Not the disapproving looks she got from some people in town. They all thought of her as a weird person.

A sinner, some called her.

Even after all these years, the elders still talked about her in hushed whispers, they still talked about how she sometimes dressed, acted and talked like a man, how she refused to date a nice young man, and she would shamefully flirt with girls from time to time, how she had been caught making out with another girl years ago....

_To hell with them, it's my life_, she told herself.

They didn't matter. Not them, and definitively not those stupid girls from the Music Academy in town and the way they looked at her with dreamy expressions on their faces whenever she walked down the streets.

She knew damn well what they all thought of her. And she had to laugh at that. Every single year, at the begging of a new school year and with the income of new students, there would be an increase on her fan club, thinking her the most attractive "guy" in town.

Of course some of them would stop visiting the track when they would finally find out she was, in fact, a woman. But some of them would still go and cheer on her. Some even claimed, clear and loud for the whole world to hear, they would gladly swing the other way for just one date with the famous Haruka Tenoh.

Oh yeah, she always laughed at that one. They were all stupid girls with a stupid teenage crush on her. No, not on _her_. On the talented piano player, sure. On the famous car racer, definitively. But not her. No one saw the real her.

_Dad saw me_, she thought to herself. _My family sees the real me. That's enough for me, that's all I need. I don't need anyone_.


	3. Kicked out

**3** **- Kicked out**

By the time Michiru finally got home, it was already getting dark outside. She put her keys on the table next to the door, and went directly upstairs to her room. She put down her diploma on the desk, threw her shows off her feet, and laid down on her bed.

It was over, finally. She had graduated from high school. She had received her diploma that afternoon, with no one among the huge audience to cheer for her.

Her mother wasn't there. That didn't surprise her. Neither was her mother's husband. She was glad for that one.

She had got herself a summer job, just to get out of the house and avoid being around that man more that absolutely necessary, and then she'll be out of this house, hopefully for good. She couldn't wait...

The sound of her door opening brought her back to the real world. She looked up, half surprised but half expecting her mother standing there with some lame excuse for not being there at her graduation.

But she was alarmed to find Yuuta Asuke, her mother's sorry excuse of a husband, standing on her bedroom door, staring at her with those cold black eyes of his.

"What do you want?" she asked, not really caring if she was being impolite. She was just not in the mood to play the perfect little princess. Specially not for him.

"Why the bad mood, little bird?" he asked, stepping inside the room. Michiru hated it when he called her that. Somehow he always managed to make it sound... _dirty_ "I just came to see you"

"Stay out of my room!" she exclaimed, getting out of the bed and walking to him, willing to kick him out if necessary "Get out!" she yelled.

"That's not how a pretty young lady like yourself should address to her loving father, now is it?" He said, one hand going up to caress her cheek.

But she jerked away, slapping his hand and stepping away "You're not my father" she told him, feeling all the anger towards that man building up inside of her. What ever did her mother see on this disgusting man?

"So I'm not" he answered, getting closer again. "Looks like we're all alone, little bird, lucky me" he whispered, taking both her wrists in his hands rather strongly "Now we're gonna have some fun together"

And with those words, he pushed her down on the bed, putting himself on top of her, and pinning her down.

"Get off me!" she screamed, panic replacing her anger. She had to get away from him, she had to!

He moved against her, grabbing both her hands in one of his own, while the other started running its way down Michiru's neck. At the cold and disgusting contact, she screamed again, more desperate this time, and started moving wildly, trying to get free from Yuuta's strong grip.

When her cheek started to burn and her face suddenly jerked to the side, she realized he just slapped her, and something inside her told her he wasn't going to stop, no matter how much she scream or plead.

"Shut up you little bitch!" he barked "It's time to learn how to really treat a man"

"No!" she screamed again "Get off me! Leave me alone!"

He laughed at that, and the sound alone made her blood freez.

"Why so scared, little bird? Don't tell me a beauty like you is still a virgin? I mean, come one, you can't really say you don't like men" he said, his hand on her neck now chocking her, the other crawling up her legs, going under her dress "before you actually been with one, now can you? Or is that is? You've just never been with a real man"

Tears formed in her eyes, and she was having trouble breathing with him choking her, and for a moment she wished he would press hard enough to just kill her.

"Is that it, little bird?" he asked "Have you ever been with a real man before?"

"You're not a man, you monster!" she managed to say, moving her legs desperately, trying to get away.

The dark look on his eyes and the twisted smiled on those lips told her there was no way out. He put a little more pressure on her neck, while he rudely grabbed one breast with his free hand, and Michiru cried a scream out.

_God, no, please_, she prayed.

And then he stopped. The movement was so sudden, that she just stood there, laying on the bed, watching him tearing apart his shirt, buttons flying everywhere, and messing his hair, giving himself a wild look.

He gave her a sinister smile, at the same time that her mother's form appeared on her bedroom door with a questioning look upon her face.

"What's going on here?" she asked, looking at her husband's ruined shirt and her daughter laying on the bed, dress rolled up to her waist, showing off her legs and her white panties.

"That little bitch you call your daughter, that's what's going on!" Yuuta scream, pointing an accusing finger towards Michiru.

Here eyes went wide "What?" she managed to say. She pulled her dress down and got out of the bed, looking at her mother "Mom! He just tried to..."

"Shut up!" her mother screamed to her, hate written all over her face "I don't want your stupid excuses! I tried to deny it, I tried to tell myself it wasn't true, but this? How could you!"

"What are you talking about?" Michiru asked, now confused and scared. What was her mother talking about? "He just tried to rape me!" she screamed.

"Oh, please!" her mother said "He's been telling me for months now how you're always hitting on him, you little whore! I didn't want to believe it, with you're whole 'I like girls' act and all. But now I know it was just that, an act! To cover your sinful behavior! You little ungrateful slut! He's my husband!"

_What the hell?_ Michiru asked herself. She just couldn't believe what she just heard. _It wasn't an act! It's not an act!_ She screamed in her mind. But she just couldn't scream out loud.

"I told you she was nothing but trouble" Yuuta said looking with innocent, regretful eyes at his wife "I'm sorry it had to come to this for you to believe it..."

"Please leave us" her mother said "I need to talk to Michiru alone"

Yuuta took his wife's hand and kissed it, before walking to the door. But before he disappeared on the hallway, he gave Michiru one last smile. A sick, twisted smile that made her shiver.

"Mom, please, you have to believe me..." she said, her voice a trembling whisper.

"Shut up, I said I don't want to hear it" her mother told her with an angry voice, while walking to her wardrobe and opening the doors. She started throwing Michiru's clothes to the floor in an angry manner, without even looking at her "I want you out of this house! I don't want to see your face ever again, you hear me?"

"What? Mom, please..."

"Shut the fuck up!" she screamed "I don't want to hear you, I don't want to see you ever again! You're not my daughter! You're nothing but trouble, you ungrateful slut! You killed your own father, and now you want to take away my husband? Well, I won't let you screw up my life ever again!"

"Dad had an accident!" Michiru screamed, tears running down her face "I had nothing to do with it! I wish it was me instead of him!"

"Well, I'm not that lucky!" her mother screamed back at her, turning around to look at her daughter's eyes "It was _your_ fault! If it wasn't for you, he wouldn't have gone looking for a stupid present for you and your stupid recitals! It's all your fault! I don't even know why he was so god damn crazy about you, you're not worth it! I knew I should have get rid of you the moment I got pregnant!"

"What?" she mumbled. Was her mother serious? Her father was out on a gift hunt for her, that much was true. But it wasn't her fault some bloody teenager who was too young to be driving in the first place had crashed against her father's car!

A dress thrown at her face got her out of her own thoughts. Michiru looked up at her mother in time to see her walking out of her bedroom. But before she could walk out the door, she turned around and took a look at Michiru, still standing in the middle of the room, frozen to the spot, tears running down her pale face.

"By the time I get back, I want you already out of this house, you hear me? I don't care where you go, I don't care if you don't have where to run to. For me you're as dead as you father" and with that, she walked out, slamming the door shut behind her, letting Michiru standing there, holding the dress that was just thrown at her.

_Oh God..._ she couldn't even make a coherent thought anymore. All she knew was that she had to get out of that house...

Her mother just kicked her out.

And even if she hadn't, Michiru knew she just had to get out of there. God only knew what Yuuta might do to her if she stayed any longer.

But where was she going to go now? She had no friends to ask for shelter. She had been alone for so long now... She had lost contact with her cousins years ago, and she didn't really have their number or any way to contact them. And she had little money. Yuuta and her mother kept all the money she ever made with her music.

_But I know the password to the bank account_, she thought all of a sudden, looking rapidly trough her purse for her wallet. There it was, the card that would let her get the money. All she had to do now was go to a cash machine and get all the money out.

It was _her_ money after all.

Yes, she would do that. She started packing her things. She only took the clothes she thought she might need, the photo album where she kept all her father's pictures, along with the teddy bear he had given her on her third birthday. She also took her violin case, all her music books and her sketchbook, the few CD's she had laying around her bedroom, and her MP3 player.

She was about to leave her bedroom, when she remembered the letter hidden under her mattress. She walked to her bed, searched for the envelope and tucked it inside her purse.

When she heard Yuuta's car driving away, she felt safe enough to walk out of the house without having to face him or her mother again. She took a deep breath, grabbed her suitcase, her violin case and her purse, and went down stairs, and out of this house. To never come back again.

_Now what?_ She asked herself, making her way down town, with no particular road to follow. She was by herself now, all alone in a world she knew nothing of.


	4. Welcome home

**4 - Welcome home**

The old cuckoo clock announced to the people inside the house it was an hour past midnight. The water furiously hitting the windows was a constant reminder of the storm outside. But inside the house, everything was quite and peaceful, and two people were laying on the couch, watching a horror movie.

Or at least Setsuna was. Haruka was currently dozing off, wrapped up on an old black sweater, curled up on the couch and occupying most of it, which was annoying Setsuna to no ends.

"Just go to bed already" she said to the blonde, who had once again closed her eyes "It's late"

"Don't want to" replied the blonde, opening her eyes again "Wanna see how the story ends" she said, pointing at the TV with one finger.

"You haven't seen half of it!" Setsuna exclaimed "Go to sleep, Haruka, you can watch it tomorrow" she said, tapping the blonde's behind in a motherly manner, like one would do to a child.

At this, Haruka sat up and looked at Setsuna, blonde eyebrows coming together and arms crossed against her chest "What am I, five?" she asked, somewhat annoyed.

"Sometimes" came the easy reply "Now off to bed, you're falling asleep on the couch and I really don't want to hear you whining about your back tomorrow"

"I don't whine!"

"And what are you doing just now?" asked Setsuna, not really taking her eyes off the TV screen.

"I'm complaining" replied the blonde "There's a difference, you know?"

Setsuna didn't bother with an answer. She just simply stretched herself on the couch, signaling Haruka that the conversation was over.

"Fine, I'm off! But if there's some creepy guy at the door just waiting to kill you, don't yell at me to help out!" she said, making her way to the stairs. And at that exact moment, a knock on the front door of the house made both women jump up.

"Damn, he's fast!" the blonde exclaimed, with a hand at her chest trying to calm down her own beating heart.

Setsuna just rolled her eyes, put the movie on pause, and got off the couch to the front door, with the blonde right behind her, all sleep out of her system now. She looked at said blonde, asking her without saying any words who could be at this late hour.

"Could be the killer from that movie" joked Haruka.

"Oh shut up" murmured Setsuna, and opened the door. And she froze, her magenta eyes going wide open, her jaw almost hitting the floor.

And there, in a blue dress completely wet and hugging a perfectly shaped body, long bare legs, delicate small feet covered with white low heel shoes, long aquamarine hair dripping water, framing the most beautiful face Haruka had ever laid eyes on, stood a young girl. Rain pouring down on her and wet to the bone.

There was a suitcase at her feet, Haruka noticed, and she was hugging some other case to her chest. Those perfect blue eyes with incredibly long eyelashes looked at her with... _Fear? Why on earth should she be afraid of me??_

But that look on the girl's face was fast replaced with a pleading one, while looking at Setsuna.

"Michiru?" the older woman asked "What are you doing here? What happened to you?"

"I'm really sorry to bother you like this... I know it's really late and..." the girl said, in such a tone that for some odd reason it made Haruka want to hold the small girl and protect her from the outside world.

_I guess I really am tired if I'm getting all crazy over some pretty face_, she said to herself.

"You're all wet, come inside" Setsuna said, taking the girl in her arms "God, you're freezing!" she exclaimed.

As if on cue, Haruka stepped out and took the girl's suitcase inside, closing the door behind her. "I'll go and make some tea" she simply said, earning a grateful glance from Setsuna.

Haruka disappeared into the hallway, and Setsuna took the girl to the small bathroom next to the kitchen, where she handed her a towel to wrap around her shivering body, and took another one to try and dry the girl's long hair.

"What happened, sweetie?" She asked, guiding the girl to the kitchen now, where Haruka was already making tea.

"I... I didn't know where else to go... I'm sorry to bother you like this" she said "I didn't know you had company..." she mumbled, lowering her eyes.

"What?" Setsuna asked, but realized Michiru was talking about the blonde standing in front of them "That's just Haruka, my cousin slash roommate" she explained with a smile on her face.

"Just Haruka?" the blonde asked "Gee, you really know how to introduce someone, don't you?" she questioned, handing the tea to the small girl.

The girl took the cup from Haruka's hands in a somewhat distrustful manner and without looking up at her. _What is wrong with this girl?_ Haruka asked herself. But she was smart enough to know when she wasn't needed nor wanted, and she was tired after all. And she also knew that Setsuna and this weird girl needed to talk alone. So, with a nod of her head and a good night, she left the kitchen and went upstairs, to her waiting warm bed.

She could get all the answers she wanted about that girl tomorrow morning. Right now, she just wanted to hug her pillow and fall victim of some –hopefully- peaceful dream.

"I'm sorry about that" Michiru said, pointing to the door the blonde had just disappeared into.

"Don't mind that, Haruka's just tired, that's all. Nothing a goodnight sleep can't fix" she said "So, wanna tell me what happened?"

Michiru looked up at her old friend, and gave her a shy but somewhat sad smile.

"I got accepted to the Silver Moon Music Academy" she answered.

"Then why the sad smile? That's great!" Setsuna asked "And why are you here so early? Summer had just begun and classes won't start for another three months or so..."

"I didn't know where else to go, I don't have anyone else" the girl answered, lowering her face again "I... My mom... she..." tears started filling her blue eyes, and a lump formed in her throat "She kicked me out..."

"What? Why?" Setsuna asked, eyes wide open, hugging the girl closer to her.

"I... I don't really want to talk about it..." she said in a whisper "Can I... Can I stay with you for a while? I have money, I can pay you a rent or something, and it's just until classes start out, I swear, and then I won't bother you..."

"Of course you can stay!" the older woman exclaimed "And you don't have to pay me anything. You can stay here as long as you want to, sweetie. I'm sure Hotaru will be thrilled to have you around"

Michiru gave her friend a little smile, and hugged her tighter, tears still running down her face "Thank you, Sets. Thank you so much!"

"Don't be silly! It's my pleasure! Now, we need to get you out of those wet clothes before you catch a cold. We have a spare room upstairs you can use. It's not that big, and it doesn't have a private bathroom, but..."

"It's perfect, thank you" Michiru interrupted, smiling up to her friend.

Setsuna gave the girl a warm smiled, and waited for her to finish up her tea. Then she guided her upstairs. The house was big enough for everyone to have their own room and their own bathrooms. It was a three floor house, with four rooms on every floor. It really looked more like a mansion than a simple house, but they were a big family after all. On the east side of the first floor was her's and Hotaru's bedroom. On the west side, was Haruka's, and the currently only vacant room of the house.

"Hotaru and I are down that hall" she said, pointing down to the east side of the house. Then she pointed to a closed door in the middle of the hallway, separating the east from the west side "And there's a bathroom you can use. Since we all have are own, you can take that one to yourself" she explained "And this would be your room" she said, opening a door and turning on the lights, revealing light blue walls, a well done queen size bed, a wardrobe on one side, and a big balcony on the other, with perfect white curtains. A simple nightstand was beside the bed, with a small lamp that Setsuna quickly turned on "I'll get you something to sleep on, and we can take your suitcase up here tomorrow"

With that, Setsuna went to her own bedroom in search of some bed clothes she could borrow the younger girl. Michiru just stood there, with a towel wrapped around her shoulders, and another one in her head. By the time her friend came back and handed her some pajamas, Michiru was sitting on the bed, bare foot, looking out the balcony doors.

"I guess these will fit you just fine" Setsuna said, smiling down at her.

"It's perfect, thank you again" Michiru said, hugging her friend again.

"No problem, sweetie" she said, walking to the door the let the girl get some sleep "I'll introduce you to the rest of the family tomorrow. Sleep well"

"You too"

"Oh, and sweetie?" Setsuna said, turning around on the door and looking at the girl on the bed "Welcome home"

With that, she left the room, Michiru sitting on the bed. And for the first time in a long time, the young aquamarine haired girl smiled a real smile to herself. _Maybe things will work out after all... I'm not alone._


	5. Meeting the family

**5** **- Meeting the family**

When she woke up the next morning, the first thing she noticed was the morning light coming from the wrong side of her bedroom. But when she looked around, she remembered last night events, and that she was no longer in her old bedroom at her mother's house.

She didn't have to be running off to somewhere, anywhere, just to stay away from Yuuta and his cold black eyes. She didn't need to locked up her bedroom door anymore. She was living with Setsuna and little Hotaru now. And Setsuna's cousin, whatever his name was.

She frowned at that. She didn't really felt like being around a man. If she didn't like them before, Yuuta had made sure she really hated them now.

_But it's Setsuna's cousin, and he really didn't look dangerous...._ she tried to calm herself. All she had to do was keep herself away from him, and closer to Setsuna.

With that in mind, she got out of the bed, and noticed that sometime in the early morning Setsuna had carried her suitcase upstairs. So she opened it up, and looked for something to dress herself with. She put on some jeans and a yellow summer shirt. Then she tied her hair up in a bun, took her toothbrush and headed out to the bathroom Setsuna had pointed to her the night before.

She could hear voices downstairs, probably coming from the kitchen. She recognized Setsuna's voice, and a little girl's voice she guessed was Hotaru, but there were other voices too, and she wondered exactly how many people lived there. It was a big house after all.

Her question was answered once she entered the kitchen.

Right next to the stove, making what Michiru guessed was everyone's breakfast, was a tall young woman with her long, brown, curly hair held up in a ponytail, dressed in a short jean skirt that showed off her long legs, and a lavender tight t-shirt. She was barefoot, and an apron hanged around her waist, while she was singing along with the radio and swinging her hips to the melody. She looked somewhat familiar, but Michiru couldn't remember from where exactly did she know the dancing cooking girl.

On the table was a young looking couple. A man, maybe on his mid twenties, with black hair and piercing blue eyes, holding a cup of coffee close to his mouth while reading the newspaper he held on his other hand. He was dressed on a black suit that gave him a really attractive, really professional look. Besides him, a blonde beautiful woman with big blue eyes was eating, or more like _devouring_, her breakfast. She had a white cotton dress on that Michiru guessed was her night dress.

Sitting on the counter, next to the dancing girl, was a black haired, violet eyed little girl Michiru recognized as Hotaru. She was smiling at the other girl, and singing along with her, her little legs swinging around.

Michiru had to smile at the scene. Little Hotaru was just too cute.

At that moment, the little girl looked up and noticed Michiru standing at the door, and a big bright smile spread on her little face.

"Michiru!" she exclaimed, jumping off the counter and running to her, wrapping herself around the aquamarine haired girl's body "You're up! Mommy told me you are gonna stay with us now, is it true? Are you really staying to play with me?"

"Of course I am" she answered the anxious little girl.

"Now, now, Hotaru, no need to strangle our guest" said the brunette, smiling down at her "Let her have some breakfast first!"

"Oh yeah!" The little girl exclaimed "You have to try Mako's food, you have to! She's awesome!"

"That would be me" the brunette said, extending her hand to Michiru "I'm Makoto, Setsuna's sister. Michiru, right?"

"Right" she answered, shaking the girl's hand and now remembering why the girl looked so familiar. Setsuna had shown her pictures of her little sister "It's nice to finally meet you, Setsuna told me so much about you"

"Did she? All good things, I hope!" Makoto said, laughing, and walking back to the counter, where she offered Michiru a cup of coffee.

"Of course not, I told her the truth" came Setsuna's voice from behind them "I told her what a big pain in my butt you really are, getting into crazy fights with Haruka all the time, giving my daughter all kind of crazy ideas, skipping class!"

"Oh, come one! That was one time!" Makoto exclaimed "And it was _ages_ ago! Get over it already!" she added, then she looked at Hotaru, and smiled "Besides" she said, looking at Michiru now "I'm not the one getting crazy ideas into little sunshine here"

"Sure, whatever" Setsuna said, rolling her eyes. Then she turned to Michiru, and smiled at her "Let me introduce you to the rest of the family. Well, the ones here anyway. This is my cousin Mamoru, Haruka's older brother" she said pointing to the black haired man sitting on the table, who in return gave her a warm smile "And this is his wife, Usagi" she said now pointing to the blonde next to him.

At this, Usagi got up and walked to her, and Michiru noticed her small pregnant belly. The blonde gave her a hug that took her by surprise, and with a smiling face she said all excited "Welcome to the family!"

"Thank you" was all Michiru could say, hugging back the pregnant young woman.

At that moment, Mamoru got up, folded the newspaper under his arm, and took his wife's waist, getting her closer to him and away from Michiru. He then gave her a small kiss on the lips, gently caressing her cheek, and said he was getting late for work.

"I'm sorry I can't stay around to get to know you a bit better right now, but my patients are waiting" he said, a polite smile playing on his lips.

Michiru gave him a small smiled, and then he took off. _He seems like a nice guy_, she said to herself, glad that there were at least _some_ decent men out there after all. Yuuta's face flashed in her mind's eyes, but she shook it off. He was no longer a part of her life. And that Mamoru guy seemed decent enough. She could give him a chance... maybe...

"He's a doctor, isn't he just wonderful?" Usagi said to her, taking her off her thoughts and back to the present.

"You just _have_ to say that, he's your husband!" Makoto said, rolling her eyes and sitting down on the table to have her own breakfast. "So, Michiru, did Setsuna gave you the whole 'we're a big crazy family' warning, I mean speech?" she asked, before taking a drink of her coffee cup.

"Um.. no?" she answered, eyebrows coming together.

"Makoto!" Setsuna exclaimed, giving Michiru a look of apology.

"Well, we are!" Makoto defended herself.

"Which part?" Michiru asked, warming up to the brunette girl "The big family part, or the crazy one?"

Makoto looked at her, and then she and Usagi exchanged glances. But both soon looked back at Michiru and answered at the same time "Both!"

And with that, Michiru just started laughing at their antics. Maybe they were crazy, and they obviously _were _a big family, but they all seemed like really nice people.


	6. Lost in thought

**6 - Lost in thought**

She was almost ready to go home. She had been practicing all day, and it was getting dark outside. She was sure Setsuna would get all mad at her for being out at the tracks all day long...

The sound of someone walking towards her got her attention, so she looked up to find herself face to face with none other than Takashi Nanba, her old school couch.

"Hello there, windy" he greeted her, using her old high school nickname, and smiling at her "How life's going for you?"

"Can't really complain" she answered, smiling back at the aging man besides her.

"You still run? I think I saw you once or twice running down the beach" he said to her.

"Um, yeah, almost every day" she answered, taking her bag with her and walking towards the track's exit along whit Mr. Nanba right next to her.

"And why 'almost' everyday instead of just everyday?" he asked, one raised eyebrow.

She had to blushed at that. Mr. Nanba knew, from past experience, that she just wasn't a morning person, and she had a really hard time getting up early in the morning. The only reason she did it in the first place, was because she loved to feel the wind playing with her hair, almost carrying her while she ran. But sometimes she was just too lazy to get up, and gave herself the privilege of sleeping two more hours.

"Old habits die hard?" she answered, grinning.

Mr. Nanba laughed at her answered, and gave her a pat on the back. He had always liked the blonde. And he sure missed having her on his team. Haruka was, to put it simple, the faster runner he had ever seen on his forty seven years of life. There was just no one faster that the tall thin blonde girl. Even when she wasn't trying.

"So, what brings you down here?" she asked when they reached the streets.

"Just wanted to come by and say hello. I had a hunch you'd be here" he answered her.

"That's probably because I'm always here" she said, laughing.

"So I heard!" Mr. Nanba exclaimed "Oh I heard alright, the young, fast, amazing Haruka Tenoh! You sure made a name for yourself on this car thing"

"I try" she said, blushing again. Mr. Nanba just had a way of making her blush with his compliments. He always did. That, and he always made her feel sure of herself.

"Don't get modest with me, I know you well" he told her, smiling "I'm just glad you're as fast behind the wheels as you were on the running tracks. I still think it's sad you gave that up... but, well, seems things are looking good for you"

"Thanks couch" she said, shaking her hand to Mr. Nanba's "I'm sorry to cut this short, but I have to get going..."

"Yes, of course. Don't want you getting grounded over me making you late" he joked, remembering how the blonde used to get in trouble with her brother and her older cousin for always getting so late to the house.

"Again, old habits die hard" she said, laughing. "It was good seeing you again, couch"

And with that, she got into her car and took off, smiling at the little reunion with the old man. She really had to get home now, or Setsuna would get mad at her for never being there. And she was sure she was going to miss Makoto's warm food.

Again.

But it's not like she could help herself. It wasn't really her fault. She just lost track of time whenever she was at the racing tracks. Or when she was working on her baby. Or when she was out running. She just let herself get lost to the world, leaving everything behind, and feeling free.

When she was running, specially when she was running down the beach, she felt like she could do anything, like she could spread her wings and take off. Sometimes she just sat down on the beach and watch the big wide ocean, with the waves breaking down so close to her and the wind kissing her skin. And she could stay like that for hours, just her, the wind, and the sea.

But that wasn't the only reason she's been out of the house so much for the past week or so. No, that was just part of the reason, and her big excuse.

There was also that weird girl. She just didn't get her. She seemed perfectly fine around all the others, but whenever Haruka came into the same room, she just took off. Or she would looked at her in such a way that made Haruka feel incredibly uncomfortable. And incredibly unwelcome. _It's my own house, for God's sake!_

But still. She felt unwelcome whenever that Michiru girl was around. Which of course was most of the time. Setsuna had told her about the girl having left her mother's house and getting accepted at the Silver Moon Academy- something about playing the violin- but Haruka still didn't really understand why the girl was there so early in the beginning of the summer. It just didn't make any sense.

_Oh well, I don't really care anyway_, she told herself. But still. It was bad enough she had to put up with people giving her disapproving looks almost everywhere she went to, now she was getting that very same kind of look at her own house. It was just ridiculous!

_What did I ever do to that girl, anyway? I barely talk to her, and she doesn't even know the first thing about me! She's the one crushing down at my place, she should be a little more respectful, damn it! _she thought, at the same time that her car made it to the house. _I don't really feel like going home yet..._

So she parked her car on the garage, got out and opened the back seat's door. She took the pair of running shoes she always kept in there, put them on, and out she went again. Maybe some running would help her out a bit. It always did.

It was dark already, but she didn't care. She could take care of herself in case some weirdo wanted to attack her –those karate lessons she took with Makoto years ago really did pay off. She made her way to the beach, enjoying the feeling of the fresh night wind against her skin.

But her thoughts wonder back to the aquamarine haired young girl again. Really, what was wrong with that girl? _Maybe she just heard all those stupid rumors around town and she's just another freaking homophobic_, she told herself.

But somehow she didn't quite believe that. Even though she didn't know the girl at all, somehow Haruka guessed she wasn't the closed minded kind of person. Weird, sure, but not closed minded.

She reached the beach in no time, and sat down on the sand, taking a deep breath. She looked up at the moon, and staring at it she remembered her sister in law and her soon to be nephew or niece. She was hoping for a girl- just to annoy the crap out of her brother, always surrounded by women-, but she would be happy with a boy anyway. She was just so happy for Mamoru.

Ok, so she had a really soft spot for her siblings, so what? They didn't really had an easy life, and they were really close to one another.

There was a time when Mamoru used to live with his own father. He was five years older than Haruka, and was actually her half brother on her mother's side, from a previous marriage that didn't really worked out, and so his father had moved away to another city. And when Mamoru was twelve years old, he announced he wanted to live with his father for a while. By that time, their mother had married again with Haruka's father and formed a new family.

Her mother had past away when she was ten years old. That had crushed her father, but he still had managed to get up every morning and spend every moment he could with his girls.

But then he had died on a plane accident, along with her aunt and uncle.

She was sixteen at that time. She remembered it like it was yesterday. How the police came down to the house in the middle of the night to tell her and her little sister about the accident. How Mamoru showed up just a couple of hours later to be with them. How her sister had cried herself to sleep for months after their father's death. How Makoto had cried in Haruka's arms night in and night out. How they all decided it was best for them to stay together.

Her parents had left them some really good money. So with that money, plus the life insurance, they had enough to stand on their own, and Mamoru was already old enough to be responsible for both his sisters.

But in order to do that he had to drop out of college, so Haruka had somehow convinced him of not dropping out –after all it was his dream since he was a little boy to become a doctor-, saying they could stay with Setsuna and Makoto. They were too, after all, orphans.

So Setsuna came, little Hotaru with her, and Mamoru sold the Tenoh house while Setsuna sold her parents', and they bought the big comfy house they all lived in. And they had been living together ever since.

With Mamoru away for college, Haruka and Makoto, being both the same age and going together to school, had helped Setsuna to take care of little Hotaru, the house, and Haruka's crazy little sister.

Her supermodel, famous little sister. Haruka smiled at that too. The little brat had the annoying ability to drive her nuts, but she loved her anyways. Hell, she practically raised her! She would never say it out loud, but she missed the little brat. _She's coming home again in a couple of days_, she told herself.

A loud thunder got her out of her little time traveling reverie, and she forced herself up, remembering it was well past time for her to get back home. Maybe she could out run the coming storm.


	7. Playing nurse He's a She!

**7 - Playing nurse (He's a She!)**

Michiru was sitting down around the kitchen table, having her new breakfast routine with the rest of the family. Mamoru was sitting in front of her, reading his newspaper while holding his coffee. Usagi was right at his left, drinking some tea and happily eating her breakfast.

Makoto was drinking her morning coffee at the counter, waiting for the cake she had just made to be ready and out of the oven. Hotaru was at her normal spot, sitting down on the counter, right besides the tall brunette, singing along with her to some silly song that was playing on the radio.

She had get somewhat used to the family's dynamic. They all made a point on having breakfast and dinner together. The rest of the day, everyone was out on their own business. And Michiru had made it a habit of going to Makoto's and Setsuna's shop and help them up on whatever she could.

Some days she went with Usagi instead, and helped the cheerful pregnant woman with her little flower shop.

Michiru smiled to herself. She was becoming good friends with Usagi and with Makoto, and Mamoru was a really nice guy. Hotaru was, of course, thrill with having another girl to play with her. Life was good.

_Except for that Haruka guy_, she told herself. She couldn't really understand why, but there was something about Haruka that just made her uncomfortable...

Setsuna's voice got her out of her own thoughts. She had just enter the kitchen, with an amused but somewhat annoyed look upon her face, and she sat right besides Mamoru.

"Put Haruka, rain, and cold night wind on the same equation, what do you get?" she asked Mamoru.

"A really bad cold and high fever?" he asked, smiling.

"Bingo!" Setsuna said, taking the coffee cup Makoto was offering her.

"Time to go play doctor, then" he said, getting up and out of the kitchen, with Usagi following behind him, already worried about Haruka's well being.

"What happened?" asked Makoto, somewhat worried.

"Oh, just that stupid blonde being careless" Setsuna answered with a smile on her face.

"Meaning Haruka just being Haruka" Makoto said, amused "nothing new there, right?"

"Well someone should stay home today to take care of our little sick, incredibly stupid cousin" the older woman said.

"I can take care of Haru!" Hotaru exclaimed "I'll be a really good nurse, promise!"

"What about Momoko?" Makoto asked her niece "Weren't you two going down to the beach today?"

At that, Hotaru look down, disappointed at not being able to play nurse with her other 'aunt'. But Michiru smiled down at her, and gave the little girl a hug. "Don't worry, sweetie, I can do it for you" she said.

"No, Michi, you don't have to" Setsuna quickly said, knowing that Michiru and Haruka weren't exactly getting along well "That stupid blonde is my responsibility"

"And somehow I highly doubt Haruka is going to be happy about that little statement of yours" Makoto said, grinning "And here I thought the whole blonde act was already taken in this family... Wait, we have three blondes... Anyway! Setsuna's right, it's our job, not yours"

"Maybe" Michiru admitted "But you both have jobs to go to, and so does Usagi. And Mamoru. So that only leaves little old me to play nurse for the day"

And so three hours latter, Michiru found herself alone in the big house. After Mamoru came down the stairs and informed everyone that Haruka had indeed just a cold and a little fever, and just needed some rest, he went out to work, leaving Michiru some medicine for the now sleeping blonde upstairs.

The rest of the family went to their jobs as well, Hotaru going to her friend's house, leaving Michiru behind. She just sat on the couch reading a book for a while, but when she looked up at the clock, she realized it was time for Haruka's medicine. So she took a deep breath, and went up the stairs, to Haruka's bedroom.

She knocked on the door twice, but got no answer. She knocked again, a little bit louder this time, but when she got no answer again, she just opened the door and entered the dark bedroom.

Upon entering the room, the first thing she noticed was Haruka's form curled up under the covers, fast asleep. The only thing she could see was a mop of short blonde hair, and she could hear a soft steady breathing.

The curtains were shut closed, but some soft light still managed to pour down on the wide bedroom. She could guess the balcony doors had just the most beautiful sight of the backdoor swimming pool and the green trees around it.

Her curiosity got the best of her, and she let her eyes wonder around the room. The walls were painted on a warm yellow color, and there were some posters- most about cars- on the walls. There were shelves full of books, and some framed pictures all around the bedroom.

Michiru guessed the double doors on one of the walls were Haruka's wardrobe, and the single white door she was sure must be the suite bathroom. Queen sized bed, night tables at the sides, and again some framed pictures on each one. And to the left of the room, right beside the balcony doors, a light blue vanity... _A vanity?? What the hell??_

A soft groan coming form somewhere underneath the covers got her attention back. So Michiru decided to open up the curtains to let some sunlight in. And right after she did that, another groan –or was it a growl?- reached her ears.

She took a quick glance at the vanity, her curiosity getting the best of her again, and now with the room light up she could see some perfume bottles laying there, some of them already empty, and some body lotion. _Just how weird is this guy?_

She shook her head and walked up to the bed, looking down at the human ball under the covers. "Haruka" she called in a soft whisper.

Nothing.

"Haruka" she called again, a little bit louder this time, along with a little shake on the shoulders "Haruka wake up, it's time for your medicine"

Slowly, very slowly, the covers moved down a little, to reveal a pair of dark, shinning with fever eyes looking up at her.

"How are you feeling?" she asked, politely.

"Like I'm just about to die..." came the soft, murmured reply.

"You're just overreacting" she said, putting her hand on the blonde's forehead. It was hot, but not burning "You still have a fever, that's way you feel like crap"

"Gee, thanks"

"Maybe you'll feel a little bit better with a nice shower and a cup of tea" she suggested, feeling somewhat ashamed of being a little mean to the sick blonde.

And just as she said that, the cover went right up again, completely hiding Haruka's face again.

"Oh come one, I promise you'll feel better after a shower" she insisted, remembering how her father always insisted on her to take nice warm showers whenever she had a high fever.

"Don't wanna" came the muffled reply from under the covers.

"Don't be such a baby!"

"Go away!"

"Haruka!" she exclaimed, now getting annoyed.

"Don't yell! I'm dying here, remember?" Haruka complained, looking up at her from the bed.

"Oh, please! You're not dying, not even close" she answered, rolling her eyes "Get out of that bed and go take a shower while I make you some tea"

"Why do you care?" asked Haruka, annoyed with the insisting girl "I have a headache, I'm cold, I have a fever, and to top it off, I have cramps! I have the divine right to be on a really bad mood, so please, for the love of God, just let me suffer in peace!"

"Of course you have a headache, and obviously you're cold, it comes with the fever menu! That's what you get for running around under the rain. And what do you mean you have cramps?" she asked, but then added "And I don't care! But I promised Setsuna I'd take care of you!" she exclaimed, exasperated "So get your ass off that bed!"

She was really loosing her patience.

And when all the answer she got from the blonde was a deep growl, loud and clear, she completely lost it, reached down the covers and threw them off Haruka's body.

At that exact moment, Haruka jerked up from the bed and looked angrily at the aquamarine haired girl who, in return, was looking down at those green, shining, really angry eyes, and down the rest of the now uncovered body, with her own blue eyes wide open.

_Oh. My. God_, was all she could think of, while her eyes traveled up and down Haruka's perfectly shaved, soft looking, really long legs, a perfectly flat stomach and a thin waist covered by a white tank top, and, oh yeah, a nice pair of ... _Breasts?_


	8. Meet the sister

**8 - Meet the sister**

_I'm not crazy... am I?_ She looked down again. _No, I'm not... those are most definitively _not_ fake... Haruka is a She??_

"What the hell is wrong with you?" asked the blonde, obviously mad at the younger girl, and completely missing the fact that Michiru was looking down at her with a surprised expression written all over her face "What part of 'I want to die in peace' you're not getting?"

_Haruka is a She. And a hot one at that_, she thought. _And she's looking at me... did she say something? Think, Michiru, think! Get your eyes off of her and say something!_

"I ... I just ... I just want you to take a damned shower, that's all" she was finally able to say "The warmth will help with your fever" she explained "and the cramps too" she added, remembering what the blonde had said before, and now fully understanding. It actually made sense now...

"Fine! I'll take the freaking shower!" the blonde finally gave in "But if I get out of that shower freezing to death, still with a headache _and_ cramps, I swear I can and _will_ beat the daylights out of you" she warned, getting off the bed and marching to the her bathroom "Fever or not!" she yelled, once the door was closed.

_She has a lot of energy for someone with a really bad cold_, Michiru thought, staring at the closed bathroom door. _Holly crap, Haruka is a girl!_

She just couldn't get over that fact. How come she didn't notice before? Her face did have soft features, and way too long eyelashes for a guy. And she walked with a grace that no man could ever have. And it's not like she had a flat chest either, quite the opposite. Well her breasts weren't enormous, _just the right size to perfectly fit in my hand... Grr, stop thinking about her breasts! When did I became such a perv?_

The sound of the water running got her somewhat out of her little reverie, and she forced herself out of the room and down the stairs to make the promised warm tea for her designated, _definitively female_, patient.

By the time she got back upstairs with the tea cup, Haruka was already out of the shower, but still locked up on the bathroom. She gently knocked on the closed door and asked if she was feeling any better.

"No!" came the quick reply. And then a soft "Maybe a little"

"I have your tea" Michiru said, smiling at the blonde's antics.

When the door finally opened, Haruka came out wearing a wide yellow t-shirt that reached her thighs, barely covering the black clean cotton underwear she just put on. Hands up massaging her head with a towel while trying to dry her short blonde hair.

And Michiru had to force herself not to stare at the blonde woman and her incredibly long, bare legs.

"Thanks" she said to Michiru.

"No problem. Now get on the bed before you get cold again"

"Yes sir!" the blonde joked, walking up to the bed and getting under the covers again.

Once inside it, Michiru handed her the cup of tea, and Haruka gladly took a sip, and then looked up at the young girl standing next to her "So what did you do to get stuck with me all day?"

"Easy, I don't really have a job" the younger girl answered her.

"God must really hate you" the blonde said, laying her head on the pillow.

"Oh, you're not that bad" Michiru said, smiling "When you behave, of course"

"See? I'm right, God really does hate you" Haruka reasoned, but when Michiru just looked down at her with a questioning look on her face, she said "I never behave, it's just part of my charm"

They both grinned at that, Haruka obviously feeling better now, not just from the cold, but also from the fact that Michiru was finally losing up a little around her.

"Hello! Guess who!" came a female voice from downstairs.

All of a sudden, Haruka's eyes went wide open, and she took Michiru's hand on hers, with a pleading, desperate look on her face. "Whatever you do, don't leave me alone with her!" she exclaimed in a whisper "Please! She'll drive me nuts and I'll have to kill her, and I really don't want to go to jail over murdering that damned woman!"

"What?" was all Michiru was able to ask, confused over Haruka's sudden fear.

"Haruka! You poor thing!" came the same voice, this time from the bedroom door.

Michiru turned in time to see a long blonde haired woman with a red ribbon on her beautiful hair, bright baby blue eyes and a million dollar smile on her face, wearing very tight black shorts, a yellow tank top that seemed to be painted over her perfectly shaped curves, unbelievable high heel sandals, entering the bedroom and throwing herself to the bed. And almost chocking Haruka on a tight hug.

"I came as soon as I heard!" she exclaimed, letting go of the short haired woman and cupping her cheeks in her hands, looking at her eyes "What on earth were you thinking, running around at night, in the middle of a storm? Are you crazy?" she exclaimed "And people say I'm the blonde one!"

"You _are _blonde!" answered Haruka, defending herself, and getting away from the younger girl's grip.

"And so are you!" the new girl said, making herself comfortable on Haruka's bed, cuddling next to the tall blonde. And that's when she noticed Michiru standing there, silently watching at the two of them "Hi! I'm Minako, and you are...."

"Michiru, Michiru Kaioh" she answered, surprised over the young blonde girl. She wasn't really crazy about fashion and magazines and all that kind of stuff, but she didn't live inside a bottle either... "Are you Minako Aino? The Minako Aino?"

"The one and only!" Minako exclaimed, flashing her a wide white smile.

"Oh please Michiru, she doesn't need you busting up her ego" Haruka told her "It's big enough already"

"Haruka! Don't be mean!" Minako said "Here I am, all worried about my favorite sister..."

"I'm your _only_ sister, you dumb ass!" Haruka exclaimed, rolling her eyes.

"Whatever" Minako said waving her hand "you know what I mean"

"Wait! You're sisters?" Michiru asked, really surprised all of a sudden, completely ignoring the arguing blondes. "So how come you two have different last names?"

"Oh, that! Well, Aino was mom's single name" Minako answered "I really didn't want to get known as Haruka Tenoh's little sister, you know? I wanted to make it on my own"

"Meaning she didn't want to be shadowed by me" Haruka joked, winking at Michiru.

At that, the younger blonde girl threw a pillow to her big sister, who in return yelled at her about being more careful with convalescent people, at which Michiru couldn't help but laugh, soon followed by the other two.

When they finally calmed down, Haruka rested her head on Minako's lap, letting her little sister play with her short and still somewhat wet hair, while Michiru sat down at the bed's feet, enjoying the fighting sister's company.

After half an hour, they all decided to go downstairs and just lay around on the living room. So after both younger women made sure Haruka was nicely wrapped around on some warm clothes, the tall blonde woman stretched herself on the couch, with Minako laying on the floor right next to her, and Michiru sitting on the sofa across from the sisters. Michiru offered to make some more tea for the three of them, and Minako had successfully hunt down some homemade chocolate cookies they were now enjoying.

"So how exactly did you know I was sick?" Haruka asked her sister.

"Mamoru told me this morning" Minako answered "We talked over the phone, and when he told me you were in bed and sick, I decided to come a little bit earlier. It's kind of a surprise to everyone. So, surprise!" she exclaimed, with a big smile on her face.

"You should pay the girls a visit at the shop" Haruka told her "I bet everyone in town would just love to see you"

"Are you trying to get rid of me?" the young blonde asked her sister with a pout.

"No, I was just saying. I do need to rest, you know"

"And that is why nurse Minako is here, to take nice good care of poor little Haruka" Minako explained, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"I already have nurse Michiru" Haruka said, intentionally making her sister get angry at her. She just couldn't help herself. It was what sisters were made for, right?

"Are you telling me you rather have Michiru over me?" Minako asked, jerking up from the floor and glaring at her sister "No offense, Michiru. But really, Haruka, come on!"

"Well, so far she never stole my car and then crushed it against a wall" Haruka answered her.

"Oh please, that was only once!" Minako exclaimed.

"And that was bad enough" Haruka said "And she's not threatening me with hair cuts, manicures, a freaking bikini wax, miniskirts, fashion magazines..."

"I just want to make a nice lady out of you, so sue me" the young blonde mumbled

"Well, I'm not a freaking lady, so deal with it! _And_, this is the best part, she doesn't drive me crazy rambling on about how great, and strong, and caring, and charming, and hot, and just bloody perfect Kunzite is!"

"Well he _is_ great and really hot and charming, and just perfect!" the younger blonde said, with a daydream expression on her face.

"Exactly my point. See what I mean?" Haruka asked, looking at Michiru, who simply sat there watching at the two and giggling.

"Fine!" Minako finally exclaimed, getting up "I'll go and see Sets and Mako, I bet they'll be nicer with me!" then she turned around to face Michiru, and said "I really hope she doesn't kill you, 'cause you seem like a really nice person"

With that, the young blonde girl took her purse and walked out of the front door, fuming and murmuring about damn big sisters with a bad temper and no sense of fashion style what-so-ever. Haruka just rolled her eyes and laid down back on the couch.

"I swear after seventeen years, I still don't know how to make that girl to just shut up!" she exclaimed "She drives me nuts!"

"That was a little mean" Michiru told her, getting up herself and gathering the empty cups.

"She'll forget all about it in less than twenty minutes" she said, now smiling "Oh, and Michiru? Could you do me a favor?" she asked after the young aquamarine haired girl.

"Sure, what is it?"

"Remind me to kill Mamoru"


	9. Number one fan

**9 - Number one fan**

Fridays were always good for business. The small coffee shop was always full of costumers every friday afternoon, and they all seemed more than eager to have a nice coffee or some drink, with one of Makoto's famous pies.

Haruka was leaning against the counter, trying to avoid getting ran over by a full speed Makoto on waitress mode, an amused smile was playing on her lips. Her sunglasses resting on her blonde head, a black sweatshirt was hugging her torso, loose low cut jeans covering her long legs, and black convers on her feet, as she just stood there, watching her brunette cousin running around, filling orders and giving smiles to everyone and anyone.

She always loved to pay a visit to the shop on fridays. The place just turned into a nuthouse!

"You could help out instead of just being there laughing at poor Makoto" Michiru told her, apron in hand, cleaning the counter.

"No way, I'm a paying costumer" answered the blonde, taking her ice tea to her lips and winking at the younger girl, who just blushed in return.

It had became some kind of a routine between them both. Ever since Haruka had fell sick over a week ago, her and Michiru where now on a more friendly ground, and Michiru was getting used to Haruka's comments and flirty comebacks. Although it was a little bit harder for her to avoid the blushing part every single time the tall blonde gave her a compliment or winked at her. And she still felt somewhat uncomfortable around her. But she guessed it was because of Haruka's flirting.

The door bells sing-song announced the arrival of a new costumer, and Michiru looked up in time to see a young man with brown short hair and dark blue eyes, flashing the biggest smile on their general direction.

"Haruka, darling!" he exclaimed, a hand over his chest, making his way towards said blonde.

Michiru saw Haruka closing her eyes and take a deep breath "Oh boy" she murmured, before opening her green eyes again and turning around to face the young man "Hi, how are you?"

"Oh just fine" answered the young man, taking Haruka's hand on his own, and kissing it "But now that I see you, I'm just great!"

"Keiichi, please" she said "Did I introduce you to Michiru?" she asked, trying to distract Keiichi from whatever it was he was just about to say.

"No, I don't believe we've met" he said, now taking Michiru's hand, but giving her a firm shake "Nice meeting you, Michiru, I'm Keiichi Kawashima, Haruka's future husband"

"Keiichi!" Haruka yelled at him, and Michiru had the privilege of seen, for the first time since they've met, a really blushed Haruka.

"I didn't know you were engaged" Michiru said, looking at the blonde, and feeling somehow a little disappointed.

"I'm not!" she exclaimed, getting even redder, and frustrated now.

"She's just playing hard to get" Keiichi told Michiru, with a smile on his face "But everyone knows we'll end up together, eventually. We've known each other since ever, and we're just perfect for each other"

"I've told you a thousand times already! I am _not_ marrying you!" Haruka yelled at the insisting young man. "Not now, not ever!"

"Come on beautiful, just admit it" he said, still smiling "You know we belong together! Isn't she the most beautiful woman you have ever seen?" he asked Michiru "Even more so when she's blushing"

"I'm not blushing!" Haruka mumbled, and she just couldn't believe she was actually embarrassed! And of course Michiru just had to be there to witness the whole thing...

Michiru had to secretly agree with Keiichi, Haruka did look unbelievable cute when blushing. And she just had to laugh at the fuming blushing blonde, who in return gave her a very annoyed look, before turning back to Keiichi with a serious look upon her blushed face.

"I'm gonna tell you, for the last time, I'm not going to marry you" she said, in a very calm tone of voice "Not gonna happen!"

"And why not, baby?" he asked.

_Because you have a dick between your legs, and no boobs!_ She thought, but at loud said instead "You know why!" and then quickly added "And I'm not your baby!"

"Oh, you just wait and see" he said, again to Michiru "One day, I'll win this pretty lady's heart, and I'll make her mine" and with that, in a smooth motion, he took Haruka's hand, kissed it again, and walked out of the little shop.

Haruka just stood there, frozen to the spot. And then blinked a couple of times, trying very hard not to go after that stupid little man and knock the life out of him until he finally got into that thick head of his why she wasn't going to marry him.

The worst part was, he already knew why! Hell, the whole town knew! _Damned man!_

"You shouldn't be so mean to him" Makoto said behind her, getting the blonde's attention.

"He just doesn't know when to give up!" Haruka exclaimed, annoyed.

"He seemed really interested in you" Michiru commented, gaining Haruka's attention back to her "Maybe you should give him a chance?"

"Hell no!" the tall woman answered "I rather kill myself!"

"You know how to fix that Keiichi problem of yours" Makoto told her, getting behind the counter to grab some croissants for a costumer "You just don't want to do anything about it"

Haruka could swear she could read the 'date someone already!' sign on her cousin's face. "It's not that easy" she answered, getting tired over the subject already "You know that" she mumbled.

"I was just saying" Makoto said, waving her hand and turning to Michiru "You know, Keiichi's been Haruka's number one fan ever since high school. He would always get her flowers, and romantic notes, and valentine's gifts..."

"He sounds nice" Michiru ventured, looking at Haruka.

"Are you kidding me? The guy's a living nightmare!" she exclaimed "He just doesn't get it!"

"Maybe he's just not your type" Michiru said smiling at the blonde, and tapping her hand.

_You have no idea!_ Haruka thought.


	10. Gossip

**10 - Gossip**

It was already getting late, and Makoto took a look around the shop, wondering how long until she got a chance to get out of there to go to the supermarket and get some groceries for the weekend. She just didn't really like going there on weekends. It was so full of people, the waiting lines were just way too long, and she wasn't really the kind of person with patience enough to wait on a long line, with housewives talking about how great their husbands were while holding their crying children at all sides.

She looked at Michiru, resting her elbows on the counter, mindlessly twisting a lock of aquamarine hair in one hand, looking at no one in particular, and obviously bored out of her mind.

"Hey, Michiru" she called out to her "Would you do me a really big favor?" she asked, smiling sweetly.

Michiru blinked a few times at being pulled out of her thoughts so suddenly, but quickly recovered and smiled at the brunette. "Sure, what is it?"

"I'm kinda stuck her for God knows how long, and I really need to get some stuff from the supermarket" Makoto explained.

"So you want me to go and get them for you?" Michiru guessed, smiling at the pleading look the older girl was sending her.

"Would you? Please?" Makoto smiled sweetly at her.

And so in less than ten minutes later, Michiru found herself walking down the supermarket, in search of all the things Makoto has listed for her to get.

The young violinist didn't really understand what was the big difference between one brand of rice and the other, but she wasn't going to question the brunette's knowledge nor ability when it came down to food.

So, she went in search of all the items of the very detailed list she had in her hands, humming to herself to a melody that's been hunting her for a while now, and pushing the chart with her. She was looking for the flavor brand Makoto has asked her, when suddenly another chart crushed into her hip.

"Oh dear, I am so terribly sorry!" came the fast apology from an elder small woman with gray hair and brown eyes somewhat hidden behind thick glasses "I lose control of this things sometimes, please forgive this old lady" she said to Michiru while grabbing her chart and dragging it away from the girl.

"It's ok, you don't have to apologize" Michiru said, smiling down at the old lady, who was now looking at her curiously, rearranging her glasses over her nose.

"Do I know you dear?" the old lady asked "I am almost sure I have seen you somewhere..."

"Oh well, sometimes I help out at my friend's small coffee shop a couple blocks from here" she answered, pointing at the general direction of the shop in question "My name's Michiru" she introduced herself.

"Oh yes of course" the lady said, now standing straight and looking serious "That Setsuna woman, right?" she asked, but before Michiru could utter an answer, the lady started talking again "You are not staying with that family, are you? I know you are not from here, I can tell. You really should find yourself a decent place to stay while you are in town"

"Um, yeah I am staying with them. Setsuna's an old friend of mine" she said, not quite understanding the old lady. What was wrong with staying with Setsuna and her family? Ok, granted, they were quite a big family living all together on a really big house, and they were a somewhat weird bunch, in a real funny kind of way. But they were all nice people. "Why you ask?"

"They are bad news, I tell you" the old lady told her, in an almost whisper "A single mother? What a shame she brought to her poor family! And they are all so strange! I mean, what kind of self respected young lady goes around, flashing herself in such scandalous outfits, on magazines! That is just not how a lady should behave! Showing her legs for the world to see, how embarrassing! But really, what could one expect from such a poor innocent girl, with the kind of person the poor thing has as a sister! The nerve of that girl! If one could call her that... she is trouble, my dear. She is a sinner! That girl has been nothing but trouble since her poor father died, God rest his soul"

"Uh?" was pretty much all Michiru could muster at the lady's rambling on about her friend's family. Hell, about her new friends! "I don't think I understand what you're talking about..."

"I am talking about that Tenoh girl!" the lady exclaimed. At her own outburst, she looked around ashamed of herself, and then grabbed Michiru's arm to pull her closer, looking at the young girl with a serious look upon the old face "That Haruka girl, dear, stay away from that girl!" she whispered, almost desperate "She is going straight to Hell, I tell you! What with the way she acts and how she dresses herself. She is a homosexual, dear, and provoking Gods rage for that!"

_What the hell??_ Michiru asked herself. Was this lady serious?

"Such a shameless creature! And the way she smiles, as if doing nothing wrong, to all those poor innocent hearts that follow her to those crazy races of hers! She is doomed, I tell you, and she enjoys taking poor sweet souls with her! She was already caught right in the act, kissing that poor girl..."

"Oh yes, I remember that!" said a third voice behind Michiru.

She turned around to see a second old lady, this one with black hair and some gray strands on it, and light blue eyes "What a shame to her family! Kissing in such a scandalous way a poor innocent girl, forcing her! The girl was traumatized! Can you imagine?"

Michiru just stood there, watching at the two old ladies talk about Haruka as if she was the devil herself, and blinking away her surprise. What was all that about Minako being a shameless girl just because she was a famous model? And that it was all Haruka's fault? She would have laughed at that one –really, Haruka being the one responsible for Minako's passion for high heels and make up? Fat chance!- but the ladies going on outburst didn't really let her brain catch up with everything that was being said to her.

And Haruka forcing herself on another girl? She just couldn't believe that. She now knew the blonde a little bit better, and she had come to know the tall thin woman was harmless. Ok, so she did get into fights with Makoto all the time, and she suspected the blonde was strong enough to punch the day lights out of anyone at any given moment. But she was sure Haruka just wasn't a violent person. She just knew it.

_Wait!_ She just realized something the old lady has been telling her. _Haruka is gay?_ She blinked again at that. _Wow, just... wow._

"Oh please, Haruka never forced anyone!" came Makoto's sudden voice from behind Michiru.

"Of course she did!" came the angry response of the black haired woman "And the poor girl was so ashamed she had to leave town!"

"She left on her own, because she was a liar, and just plain stupid!" Makoto yelled, angry at the old women in front of her "She was the one chasing Haruka down and around for _months_ before anything ever happened, for God's sake! I should know, I was there! And then she freaked out upon being interrupted in the middle of a make out session, ran off like the little coward she was, and broke Haruka's heart!"

"Is that what that devil told you?" asked her the gray haired lady "No wonder you defend her..."

"Oh shut up!" Makoto interrupted her, hands held out front "If you like gossiping about people so much, why don't you tell Michiru about your son going to jail over driving his care like a drunken maniac and then taking a leak right at the police station entry door?" she then turned to the other old lady "Or you Mrs. Ooduka, tell us about your grandson getting kicked out of school for drinking beer with his buddies on school campus? Tell us about _that_!"

"That is non of your business!" Mrs. Ooduka said, angry at Makoto's accusing words, before grabbing the other woman's arm, and both elders walk away from the fuming tall brunette.

"Stupid old witches!" she said under her breath, after they were left alone. She turned to Michiru, who was pretty much still root to the spot, blinking away her surprise "Sorry about that..."

"What _was_ that, exactly?" the aquamarine haired girl managed to finally asked her friend.

"They didn't tell you? My family and I offered our lives to Satan, have orgies all the time, and dance naked around a bonfire every weekend at midnight" Makoto told her.

"They didn't say that" Michiru said, giving her friend a side glance.

"Really? That's just too bad, the whole dancing naked around the fire thing is my all time favorite!" she said, now smiling, putting her left arm around Michiru's right one and walking down the aisle, dragging the younger girl with her.

"Oh really? And who's your leader then?" Michiru asked.

"Hotaru, of course! Who else? She's non other that the devil's send!" came the easy answer, quickly followed by grin and a wink.

Michiru just rolled her blue eyes, letting her friend drag her around the supermarket. But she couldn't shake off of her head what she had just find out about the tall blonde racer. She wanted to ask Makoto, but after her angry outburst –not that she could blame her, really-, she was somewhat afraid of getting her friend all upset again.

_But, is it true? That would mean that maybe, just maybe..._ She shook her head before letting herself finish that thought. That was just crazy thinking.


	11. Morning jogs

**11 - Morning jogs**

She took a look around, somewhat exasperated, hands on her hips, and rolled her eyes at her own lack of ability to be an organized person. At least when it came to keeping her own bedroom clean and shiny.

"Where the hell are those damn shoes!" she exclaimed to no one in particular. _Ok, calm down! You're a grown woman, you can do this! Lets recap, yesterday I went for a run, came home, took a shower... If I were those damn shoes, where would I be?_, she asked herself.

She was dressed in her training black shorts, a somewhat tight white cotton t-shirt, white socks. But no training shoes. _Great, just great! _She got on her knees, and searched under the bed.

"Gotcha!" she exclaimed, grabbing the damn shoes and sitting on the floor to put them on.

A knock on the door, followed by a muffled "Are you decent?" from the other side of the door got her attention and made her smile.

Mamoru never _ever_ entered her room without a knock and that one question, making absolutely sure she was dressed, decent, and preferably alone. Past experience during Haruka's early teenage years and her growing _curiosity_ over the female anatomy, had taught him that much.

That, and the fact that he actually liked being very much alive, breathing on his own, and without a black eye.

Yes, Haruka could be really scary when she was angry.

She got up and opened the door for Mamoru, smiling at him "Was I ever?" she answered him, joking.

He looked down on her, eyebrows raised, but instead of answering his sister's little joke, he just said "Are you ready or what?"

He was already dressed up for their running routine. They always went out running on the weekends. Well, actually, Haruka went out running almost every morning. Mamoru just went along with her whenever he had the time, which only left the weekends.

"Sure, let's go!" she answered, pushing her brother aside and walking down the hall.

The hallway bathroom door opened up, and a very sleepy young girl with messy aquamarine hair and still on her pajamas got out, bumping into Haruka and then falling down. But Haruka grabbed her by the waist before the girl could hit the floor, and helped her steady herself again.

"You ok, Michi?" the blonde asked, looking down at the girl in her arms.

"Um, yeah, thanks" she said "Didn't see you coming, sorry".

Michiru noticed Haruka's sport wear right after a light blush found its home on her cheeks at the feel of a pair of firm, round breasts pressed against her own, arms wrapped around her waist, and those green eyes looking down on her.

She untangled herself from Haruka's hold, and then noticed the other person standing on the hallway with them, with a small smile on his handsome face.

"Good morning, Mamoru" the aquamarine haired girl greeted him. "You two going out for a run?"

"Of course" he answered, smiling at the younger girl "Gotta keep in shape somehow, or Makoto will have me rolling down the stairs in no time"

"I thought Usagi was the one gaining weight, not you" Haruka said, teasing him. "Are you getting soft on me?"

"Whatever you say, blondie" he answered her, walking past the two girls, towards the stairs.

"Blondie? Who do you think you're talking to, fatty!" Haruka exclaimed, going after her brother. Before disappearing down the stairs with him though, she turned around and winked at the younger girl still standing there "See you later, babe".

As expected, Michiru blushed at the blonde's words, but before she could answer anything, Haruka rushed down the stairs after Mamoru. He just laughed at her, and in return she slapped him on the head.

They started their morning routine, running down the streets in perfect sync, not really pushing themselves too hard, but just keeping up the rhythm. Haruka was used to run a lot faster than that, but she enjoyed the easy pace with Mamoru anyway.

He run to keep in shape. She did it for the adrenaline, and to feel the wind hitting her face.

When they reached the park, they ran around a while longer, but Mamoru soon came to a stop and sat down on a bench, taking a deep breath and admiring his surroundings.

"You really _are_ getting soft on me, you know" Haruka said, sitting down beside him.

"Shut up" he said, closing his eyes. "You're just a speed freak"

"Hey, at least I can run without having the air knocked out of me so easily, you jerk!"

Mamoru looked at his sister and then rolled his eyes. He was about to say something back, when another thought popped into his head. So he looked at her again, an amused and somewhat knowing smile playing on his lips.

"So, Haruka, lil'sis" he called to her "What's between you and Michiru?"

"What?" she gasped, eyes wide open "Where did _that_ come from?"

"Oh, I don't know" he answered, looking down at the small lake in front of them "Maybe that little scene this morning, and that 'Michi' little line of yours? Or maybe all that flirting, and winks, and stolen glances, and just overall love-sick scenes you put up all the time?"

"I like to flirt around a little, so what?" she said, crossing her legs in a relax manner, hands behind her head "Wipe that stupid smile off your face, will ya? It's really not what you think"

"Oh, but is not just innocent meaningless flirting with her, is it?" he said, so sure of himself.

Sometimes, not always, but sometimes, he could read Haruka like an open book. And he could swear he was able to see those little brain cells of hers working their way just to find any good excuse to take the young aquamarine haired beauty's hand, and just be around her at any chance she could get.

"You really like her, don't you? She's the first girl you actually like, for real, in a really long time"

"I don't know what you're talking about" Haruka told him, crossing her arms over her chest "You're just seeing things. Maybe you should see a professional for that"

"Sure thing. Right after you admit she makes you so horny you've actually been taking way too much cold showers lately" he said, and chuckled when Haruka's jaw almost hit the ground.

"Holly crap, Mamoru! When did you became so... _vulgar_?" she asked, surprised.

"Only around you, sis', only around you" he chuckled again. Her face expression was just priceless! Was she actually blushing? Oh, he was really enjoying this "Not that I blame you, I mean, she is quite a beautiful girl..."

"And I'm sure Usagi would just love that one" she said to him, an evil smile on her face "A very pregnant, very _hormonal_ Usagi" she said that in a threatening tone, narrowing her eyes.

"Oh you know I have eyes only for her" he simply said, waving his hand and dismissing her comment "But you on the other hand..."

"Knock it off already!" she exclaimed "Ok, so she _is_ pretty. I'm not blind! But I'm sure she's not, you know... and I'm not even interested in her _that_ way, anyway!"

"Oh really?" he said, eyebrows raised.

"Really!" Haruka exclaimed, getting up. It was time for them to be heading back home anyway. She was sure Makoto was already up and making breakfast, and she was getting hungry.

And incredibly annoyed by her stupid brother and his crazy ideas.

"And somehow I just don't buy it" he said, getting up himself. "So tell me the truth, do you like her?"

"You're delusional" Haruka mumbled, and went past her brother, making her way back home. Mamoru fast behind her, laughing at her.

She just ignored him. So what if she flirt a little with Michiru? Flirting just came so naturally to her. And getting the girl all red was just so easy, and Michiru looked so incredibly cute when she was blushing, that Haruka couldn't helped herself. She was only human. And the girl was a beauty after all! With that curly aquamarine hair of hers, and those big blue eyes with incredibly long eyelashes, and her perfect pink lips, not to mention her perfect long legs and those creamy, round breasts of hers...

_Great, now I _do _need a cold shower!_ She growled to herself, blushing at her own thoughts, and now even more annoyed at Mamoru and his stupid, stupid comments.

She knew Michiru wasn't like her. _I'm not that lucky_, she told herself. That was just wishful thinking.


	12. Truths and fights

**12 - Truths and fights**

By the time Mamoru and Haruka got back home, the kitchen was already full of people.

Usagi was sitting at her usual place around the table, her long blonde hair up in a messy bun, her body wrapped in a nice pink summer dress, tea cup in front of her. Setsuna was sitting beside her, still in her pajamas, in deep concentration while staring at a crossword puzzle she held in one hand, playing with a pen on the other one.

Michiru was right in front of them, quietly drinking her coffee while patiently waiting for Makoto's breakfast. Hotaru at her left side, was happily playing with her fork.

Minako was, as usual, up stairs, still getting some more beauty sleep.

Makoto was of course by the counter, jean shorts, green t-shirt, apron in place and bare foot, making everyone's breakfast which consisted, much to Haruka's delight, of french toast, homemade blueberry marmalade, and... _Are those cupcakes?_, she thought, wide smile on her face.

She was just about to get some heavenly looking cupcake, when a wooden spoon hit her hand. She looked up, half surprised at getting caught and half surprised at Makoto actually hitting her.

"Hey! That hurts, you know!" she said to Makoto.

"You know the rules" was all the brunette said, turning her back to the blonde, but pointing her wooden spoon at her "And you need to go and take a shower before breakfast"

"Oh come on! I was out with Mamoru, for God's sake!" she exclaimed "I didn't even break a sweat! He's slow, you know?"

"And you, my dear, are a big fat liar" came Mamoru's reply, who was now sitting comfortable at the table, besides his lovely wife.

Haruka looked at him and walked to the table, putting both her hands down on it and looking directly and her brother's blue eyes "I am _not_ a liar!" she exclaimed "And I'm not fat either!" she then added.

She took a deep breath, telling herself she really shouldn't be listening to Mamoru in the first place, and rudely grabbed a chair and took a sit around the table, at Michiru's right, crossing her arms over her chest. But when Mamoru gave her a sided smile and raised an eyebrow, Haruka rolled her eyes, annoyed.

"What is with you today? Honestly!" she asked, incredibly annoyed.

"I just want you to admit it, that's all" he said, calmly taking a sip from his coffee. "It's real easy, just answer my question. And you know I'll know if you lie"

"What are you guys talking about?" Usagi asked, curious over what exactly were her husband and her sister in law bickering about this time.

"Nothing!" Haruka almost yelled.

"Oh, I don't know, Haru, maybe we should tell everyone and see what they think about all this, don't you think?" he said, looking at his sister and almost chocking over his coffee when he saw her red cheeks, open mouth and wide eyes "Hey, Michiru, do you think..."

"Ok, fine!" Haruka yelled, jerking up from her chair before Mamoru could even finished that question, making Michiru look at her, now intrigued over the tall blonde's weird behavior "You're right! You are absolutely, undeniably, bloody right! You stupid knowing all jerk!" she finished, and when she noticed everyone looking at her with questioning eyes, she sank into the chair, crossed her arms over her chest, and looked angrily at Mamoru "Happy now?"

"Very much" he answered her, wide smile over his lips "Was it really that hard?"

Haruka said something under her breath, narrowing her eyes, and wishing she could kill her brother with her eyes and avoid getting her hands all sticky with that jerk's blood.

Makoto came to the table, putting down a plate full of french toasts and another one with the cupcakes, frowning down at Haruka, and then looking at Mamoru's victory smile.

"What did I miss?" she asked.

"The right question would be more along the lines of, do I wanna know?" was Setsuna's reply.

"Oh, you would just love to" Mamoru answered, smiling. And then he felt someone kicking him hard under the table, and looked up just in time to see Haruka's threatening glare, just _daring_ him to say another word about the subject.

Setsuna, noticing the little exchanged, glared at Haruka's behavior, but then smiled at Mamoru "Well, I don't think you want your unborn child to be fatherless any time soon, now do you? So let's have breakfast in peace, shall we?"

With that, everyone started digging into their food, and in no time there was almost nothing left. Setsuna started cleaning her daughter's cheeks out of all the sweet she now had all over her, when a cheerful, dancing Minako entered the kitchen.

"Good morning!" she singed, and went to the coffee machine to pour herself some coffee. But when she turned around and noticed everyone's eyes on her, she frowned "What?"

"You're up" was, to everyone's surprise, Hotaru's comment.

"So?" Minako asked, not really understanding the young girl's answer, and sitting down on the table with the rest of the family.

"It's half past eight" Makoto said, after checking on her wrist watch.

"On a saturday morning" Haruka added, just as surprised as everyone else.

"And you're in a good mood" Setsuna said "Is the world coming to an end and I didn't get the memo or something?" she asked, looking around the table.

"Oh, come on you guys!" Minako exclaimed "What's so wrong about me being up and in a good mood?"

"You mean besides the fact that it's not noon, and it's saturday?" Makoto asked her.

"Hey, Mako" Usagi suddenly called out to her, an amused smile on her face "Guess who finally asked our favorite little blonde out on a date just yesterday?"

Everyone's eyes went huge at Usagi's comment, and Minako turned incredibly red.

"You're kidding me!" was Makoto's answered.

"Nope!" Usagi said, still smiling "We went to have lunch at Motoki's and Kunzite happened to be there as well, and then finally!, he actually came up with enough courage to ask her out"

Haruka looked at her sister's blushed face, and the little devil inside her just wouldn't keep quiet. Teasing Minako over this was just way too tempting!

"Ok, I want details!" she said, but then frowned. "No, wait, scratch that. I really don't want to have weird nightmares about you and Kunzite having mind blowing..."

"Haruka!" Setsuna yelled at her, covering her daughter's ears in the process. "Watch your language!"

The blonde actually had the decency to blushed a little. And was about to apologize, when suddenly Makoto grabbed her arm with one hand, the other one over her chest.

"Oh, Haruka, I think our baby girl is all grown up now" she whispered to the tall blonde "It all happened so fast, it's almost sad!"

"Shut up both of you!" Minako interrupted her cousin's little melodramatic act "And I don't have to tell you anything" she added, looking at her sister.

"After listening to you rambling on about that guy for the past three years..."

"Four" Makoto corrected her.

"For the past four years" Haruka continued "I have the undeniable, _divine_ right to know all about your victim, I mean date!"

"So you had a date with your dreamed guy?" Michiru asked the younger blonde girl at the end of the table, amused over Haruka's comment, but knowing that particular line of conversation would only lead to a fight "That's great! Congratulations!" Of course she knew all about the girl's huge crush on that Kunzite guy. Minako did talked about him, quite a lot.

"He just asked me out yesterday" Minako said to Michiru, completely ignoring Haruka's comment "We haven't gone out yet"

"Minako has a date" Makoto said, looking at Haruka, an evil smile on her face that had payback time written all over it.

Haruka smiled back at the brunette "You know what that means, right?" she asked.

Makoto nodded her head, evil smile still on her lips "Oh yeah. She's in deep need of a bikini wax"

"I do not!" Minako yelled, blushing all over again.

"She's right, you guys" Usagi said, looking at the young blonde as if apologizing for bringing up the whole Kunzite thing in the first place. But then she looked at the evilly smiling cousins, and said "I mean, a bikini wax would mean our little innocent Minako over there is actually considering getting butt naked, rustling around the bed with Kunzite...."

"Usagi! Not you too!" came Minako's surprised, almost begging tone of voice.

"Why would they be rustling around on a bed?" asked Hotaru all of a sudden, face all innocent, and actually very curious about that last comment.

But when everyone looked back at her with surprised faces, and she felt her mother's hand on her small back, she knew they wouldn't be answering her question any time soon, and that it was time for her to go play outside.

"Ok, so no bikini wax" Makoto said, after the little girl was out of the door "That also leaves out the black leather lingerie, the high heel vinyl boots and the whip" and at that, Haruka just cracked up laughing. Everyone else just blinked.

"Dear God! Do I really need to hear all this?" Mamoru asked to no one in particular. Usagi just tapped his hand lovingly.

"But she still needs a new haircut" Makoto said, ignoring Mamoru.

"And she probably needs to burn down her entire wardrobe" Haruka added, now wiping the tears that had escaped her green eyes "I mean, there's no way she has anything in there that's 'dating Kunzite' material"

"You better keep your hands off my clothes!" Minako warned her, now getting up "And I don't need a bikini wax, thank you very much, 'cause I'm not you!" she yelled, now pointing an accusing finger towards the still smiling brunette "And unlike both of you, I don't need any help to get ready for my date!"

With that, she walked out of the kitchen and to the backyard. Haruka looked at Makoto, still smiling, and said "Did she just insult us? I think she just insulted us"

"You know what? I think you're right" Makoto answered, smiling back at her cousin. And they both got up at the same time, going after the younger blonde who had disappeared somewhere on the backyard.

"Get back here, you little brat, face it like a woman!" Haruka's voice reached the kitchen, soon followed by Makoto yelling "Don't be such a wimp!"

"Here we go again" Setsuna mumbled, hand up massaging her temple.

"Well, she really had it coming" Usagi said, smiling and patting her friend's back.

That's when they all heard the three girls screaming, and then a big splash, followed by Hotaru coming back into the kitchen, with a somewhat worried expression over her small features.

"Minako, Makoto and Haruka are fighting on the pool again" she informed everyone, and then looked back outside "I think they're drowning"


	13. One big crazy family, indeed

**13 - One big crazy family, indeed**

Right after Hotaru's comment, Setsuna got up from the table, and made her way to the kitchen's back sliding doors. But before stepping out, she turned around and looked at her friend.

"Michiru, would you please get some clean towels from the laundry room? I'm going to make sure no one gets killed over my pool" and with that, she went outside.

"Great, that leaves _me_ to clean up the kitchen" Usagi said, getting up and starting on her task.

Michiru smiled at the older girl and mumbled a 'sorry' before going after those towels her friend had asked for. She found four towels neatly folded next to the ironing table, and another three on the basket, waiting to be iron. She guessed it didn't really matter anymore, so she took two of those, and then went outside.

She spotted Hotaru giggling besides her mother, both of them standing next to the pool, where a mix of legs, arms and heads was currently splashing around. Minako jumped up to Makoto's shoulders, successfully sinking the older girl, and went desperately towards the pool edge. But before she could get out, Haruka took hold of her legs, sinking her in again.

"Let go of me, you psycho!" she yelled, and then screamed her lungs out when she felt Makoto's arms encircled around her own, successfully stopping her from getting away.

"Pay time's a bitch" was Haruka's response, right before they started tickling the younger girl.

Kicking and screaming, crying for mercy, Minako was somehow able to get herself free from Makoto's grip. So she pushed her sister away, making Haruka fall right to Makoto's side, and both girls went under the water.

Haruka was fast to try and get a hold of the escaping little blonde, but when she was just about to do that, Makoto slapped her on the head.

"Hey! What was that for?" she asked.

"You almost killed me, you air head!" Makoto answered, now making her way off the pool.

"You know the deal" Setsuna said, handing a towel to her sister, who gladly grabbed it, taking off her wet jean shorts and her green t-shirt, and handing them to Setsuna's waiting hands, before wrapping the towel around her body, over her wet underwear. The dark green haired woman then took Minako's wet yellow dress as well, and waited for Haruka to take off her own wet clothes.

Michiru handed two towels to the younger blonde, and then turned around just in time to see Haruka sliding her wet black shorts down her long legs, and then standing straight up in nothing but her black cotton panties and her white, wet, see-through, and very much stuck to her curves t-shirt.

And Michiru tried very hard to fight down the blush she could feel burning her cheeks.

"You're no fun, Sets" Haruka said when her older cousin took her wet shorts, and waited for her to take off her t-shirt.

With a quick glance towards the aquamarine haired girl, and remembering her own cotton -and now probably very _transparent_- white bra, she took a towel and cover herself with it, not willing to take her t-shirt off anytime soon.

Setsuna just shook her head and made her way towards the house without saying another word. Hotaru happily jumping behind her.

Makoto, now with a second towel on her head, walked towards her tall blonde cousin, and standing behind Haruka, she tilted her head to the side "Is she mad at us? I think she's mad at us"

"We are _so_ grounded" the blonde answered, towel in one hand, rolling up her t-shirt and squeezing the water out of it with the other, exposing her flat stomach.

And again, Michiru had to take a deep breath just to avoid getting all blushed up over the tall blonde's almost naked body. _Dear God, is not like she has something I don't!_, she scolded herself.

_She's so beautiful_, the thought just came out of nowhere, and she blinked, surprised at herself.

Minako took a sit on one of the chairs around the outside table, closed her eyes, and just enjoyed the sun kissing her skin, completely ignoring her annoying family. Makoto looked down at her, and decided to follow her example, but when she was just about to do so, Haruka decided the same thing, and they both bumped into each other.

"Haruka!" Makoto exclaimed "Get your fat ass out of my way!"

"Excuse me? I don't have a fat ass!" the tall girl exclaimed back "Do I?" she mumbled then, cupping her behind with both hands, towel falling to the floor, and looking at her reflection on the windows, blonde eyebrows coming together "It's just... up and happy... not fat, right?" she asked.

"Up and happy?" Minako repeated, chuckling "You actually just said your ass is 'up and happy'?"

"Well, yeah.. you know..." Haruka said, still contemplating her reflection.

"No, Haruka, you don't have a fat ass. You know that" Minako told her.

"I do?" asked the tall blonde again. Somehow she had always felt insecure about her own body. She was just too thin and too tall.

"You have a very nice ass" Michiru said. And when she realized she had actually said that out loud, she blushed deeply "You know, it's not fat or anything" she mumbled.

The tall blonde smiled after Michiru's words and winked at her, before turning around and facing Makoto again.

"See? You're just jealous because Michiru thinks I have a nice ass"

"Oh please! She was just being nice to you, flat chest" Makoto answered her, waving her hand.

"Hey!" Haruka exclaimed, now cupping her own breasts, in a defensive, protective manner "What's wrong with my boobs?" she asked "I happen to like them!"

"Oh nothing is wrong with your boobs" the brunette told her, smiling "If you like a rather average cleavage, of course"

At that, the tall blonde raised a perfect blonde eyebrow, crossed her arms against her chest, and looked at her cousin with an evil grin.

"At least I get to actually _show_ some cleavage without looking cheap" she said the last word really slow, but loud and clear.

Makoto's eyes went wide open, jaw almost hitting the floor "That was a low blow" she whispered, eyes narrowing.

"And telling me I have a fat ass and a flat chest is not a low blow?" Haruka demanded.

She knew it had been a really low blow. Even for her. Makoto had developed some kind of trauma over her breasts ever since their junior year in high school, right after some girl had told her that she had really big breasts, and she should be careful when wearing a cleavage 'because it's so easy to look cheap and slutty', the girl had said to Makoto.

And the brunette had not worn a cleavage ever since. Sure, she would show off her legs, show some shoulders, and maybe her back. But never, ever anything with a cleavage.

"When did you _ever_ show some cleavage?" Minako asked her sister.

"That's not the point!" both Haruka and Makoto yelled at her. Minako looked at Michiru for some support, but the aquamarine haired girl was as lost as she was, so they both just sit down and listened to the arguing girls.

"Oh come on!" Makoto yelled "You have a killer body and you know it! You look just so great on anything you throw yourself into, and you never have to worry about looking like a slut because you have huge boobs!"

"Oh, please!" she exclaimed, arms up in the air "You do realize that stupid girl was actually talking about herself when she told you that, right?" Haruka told her cousin. She couldn't believe Makoto had actually bought that stupid girl's comment.

"You really think so?" Makoto asked, surprised.

"I _know _so!" exclaimed the tall blonde. "I mean, come on! She was the one wearing tank tops two sizes too small, showing off her red bra for the whole wide world to see, and sleeping around with the entire male population!"

"That's slutty" Minako said to Michiru, who in return just nodded her head, somehow still unable to say any words after her little slip over the tall blonde's behind.

"Thank you!" Haruka said to her sister, and then turned to her cousin "See? I'm right. I'm always right"

And with that, she laid herself down on the grass, face up, eyes closed, and decided it was time to take a nice little nap while the sun got her dry enough so Setsuna would let her inside the house again. Mamoru was the only male in the house, but everyone knew Setsuna was the one wearing the pants.

"Hey, don't even think about it!" Makoto told her, kicking the tall blonde's legs "You'll get sunburned and then you'll be whining around for days"

"I won't get burned" the blonde said, not even opening her eyes, but smiling "I have nurse Michiru to take care of me, remember?" she added.

"Ugh?" was all the response she got from a frowning Michiru.

"You'll take nice good care of me and won't let me get all burned up, right?" she said, green eyes looking into deep blue ones.

"Yes, of course" the younger girl answered, a soft blush upon her cheeks, looking down at the blonde stretched out on the grass, long legs slightly bent up, arms tucked behind short blonde hair, and firm, round breasts slowly going up and down with her steady breathing.

_God, she's so beautiful_, Michiru thought to herself, her blushing now growing upon her own thoughts.

"So, did you ever show a cleavage?" Minako asked her sister all of a sudden, a teasing smile on her pretty face.

"Oh that's right! You were on that photo shoot in New York...." Makoto said, and at that, the younger blonde sat up straight, looking down at Haruka with her light blue eyes wide open.

"You did? And I missed that? That's _so_ not fair!" she whined.

"That's just too bad, 'cause it ain't happening again. _Ever_" Haruka simply said, not eve bothering to look at her sister.

"She lost a bet, and I made her go to prom with me, wearing a night gown" Makoto told Michiru and Minako "A really tight, really girly night gown. And she looked so pretty, too!"

"Is there any proof?" Minako wanted to know, still not really believing it.

"Burned it all" Haruka answered, smiling.

An image of Haruka wrapped around some pretty sexy gown popped itself into Michiru's mind, making her blush again, and she almost groan at her own mind running away on her.

"Too hot for you?" Makoto asked her, bringing her out of her thoughts, and making her blushed even more, if that was even possible.

Michiru just blinked at the brunette. _Did she just ask what I think she... Am I that obvious?_

"You're all blushed up" Makoto explained "Maybe the heat is too much for you?"

"Um... yeah... I should probably ... go back inside" she stuttered, getting up and tearing her eyes away from the tall blonde's body.

_I need to get away from that girl, she drives me nuts even when she's not talking to me! Jesuschrist, what is wrong with me? I feel like a stupid fourteen year-old with a stupid crush!_

But she knew, oh she knew, she couldn't get away from her own thoughts and those weird new feelings growing inside her.


	14. Tale of a broken heart

**14 - Tale of a broken heart **

She was bent over her baby, looking and frowning at nothing in particular. She just couldn't make herself concentrate on anything anymore. She had way too many things in her mind, all at once, and she couldn't even concentrate in one thought without having another one forcing its way towards the front line.

But of course, every single little thing had, in some way or another, _something_ to do with a certain young aquamarine haired girl that was currently somewhere inside the house. Probably drawing her boredom away.

Oh yes, Haruka knew of the girl's ability to draw pretty much anything like a true artist. She didn't really know that much about art and paintings herself, but she wasn't that clueless, and one quick glance at the girl's sketchbook when the girl had been sitting on the backyard capturing the trees with her pencil, had been enough to convinced herself that Michiru was, in fact, quite talented.

Of course Michiru had closed her sketchbook and looked up at Haruka with the most beautifully cute but utterly embarrassed expression on her face.

She was cute when she was being shy.

_Hell, cute is not even close_, she told herself. And then she slapped her own head. _Stop thinking about that girl!_, she mentally yelled to herself. She had been thinking about that girl almost every single waking moment for almost a week now. And the girl even hunted her dreams sometimes! _Dear Lord, I think I'm finally losing it_, she thought.

It was all Mamoru's fault. If he hadn't opened that big mouth of his, she would still be perfectly and happily clueless of her own growing feelings. Yes, she could be that thick headed, and she was really good at denial when she wanted to.

But after that damned morning, when she had admitted that yes, she liked the younger girl in more than a friendly way, and yes, Michiru was in fact the first girl she _really_ liked in years, she just couldn't keep on being blissfully unaware of her own feelings. _Damn Mamoru!_ she cursed for the millionth time that day.

A soft, sad love song was now being played on the radio, and Haruka had to used all of her will power not to throw the entire tool box at it, instead of just walking up to it and turn it off. The last thing she needed right now was some stupid gloomy love song to reminded her of the very thoughts she was desperately trying to run away from.

It's not like there was nothing she could do to act upon her feelings. That was just not going to happen. First off, there was just no way she would ever be that lucky. She knew for a fact that God was a man, and that He truly, deeply hated her. And then of course was the promise she had made to herself three years ago. And she was not going to break that promise over some girl. No matter how beautifully gorgeous.

No, she would never ever put herself on that kind of situation, _ever_ again. She would never be vulnerable again. What was the point, anyway? People always walked out on her. It was just the natural way of things. Like the moon phases, the seasons coming and going, or the trees loosing their leafs every fall just to grew green again every spring.

It was just the way things worked.

Her mom had died on her when she was still a kid. Her father had died on her when she was still a needy, insecure teenager. And _she_ had left too. So really, what was stopping Michiru from walking out of Haruka's life the same way she had come?

Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Somehow, she had always known she was different from all the other girls. While little girls enjoyed playing with dolls and dressing themselves with their mother's clothes, little Haruka would always spend her free time climbing up trees, or playing soccer with her brother and his friends, or bike racing with them on the streets.

By the time she hit puberty, all the other girls her age were starting to notice boys around them. She, on the other hand, started to noticed the girl's blossoming bodies, and panicking at her own growing breasts. Because, honestly, how was she suppose to run free and wild with those things bumping up and down?

Haruka smiled at that. Ok, so she had grown out of her little panic attack, and she was actually quite comfortable with her own breasts now.

She looked down on herself. _Hello girls,_ she mentally said, _you know I love you, right?_. And then she laughed at herself. It was probably the only part of her own body she was proud of. Besides her long, strong, fast legs, of course.

Oh, but they had given her some memorable moments. She just loved the look on her fans' faces whenever they would noticed her _quite feminine_ chest for the first time. And she definitively enjoyed the check out, almost _drooling _look some of those girls would give her.

It was such a pretty gift to her ego.

When she turned fifteen, she had finally accepted that there was just no way for her to avoid her body's growing process and came to terms with it. And that was when some girls, not all but some, started noticing her too. Some boys noticed too, but she couldn't care less about those.

By that time, she had discovered and finally admitted to herself that she really didn't feel attracted to the male population at all, but she would get all exited and her heart would skip a beat or two at the sight of a cleavage or at a nice pair of legs.

And so, gym class became her favorite class. Not because of the class itself, but because of what came next to it. Shower time. She had felt incredibly ashamed of herself for peeking at her classmates like that, but she had been completely unable to stop herself from doing it. She was a teenager after all. A very hormonal teenager.

She remembered all those nights she had spent wide awake, confused at herself, wondering why she couldn't be just like all the other girls and be all boy crazy. What had gone so wrong with her, that she was so different from all the others?

She remembered that one embarrassing day, when she had been helping her father at his car shop and a bunch of pretty college girls had walked by. And like the little, curious, full of racing hormones teenager she had been, she had stared after them with a dreamy expression upon her face –luckily for her, she had grown out of _that_!

Her father had laughed at her then, and she had turned around to looked at him, incredibly embarrassed and utterly confused. "You have a good eye, angel, I'll give you that" her father had told her.

He had read right through his daughter's behavior and dreamy looks, and he had accepted her and loved her just the same. Not judging her once. Not looking down on her with a disapproving stare. There had been nothing but pure, fatherly love on those deep green eyes she missed so much.

And then She came around.

Someone like her. Someone who accepted her for who she was, with her somewhat tomboy attitude and all. At first Haruka hadn't really pay any attention to the thin, tall blue haired girl that would always come close to her on the way out of the showers and find a way to just drop something to the floor and caress Haruka's bare legs on her way up.

But then, after some months of accidental brushes, casual conversations during that incredibly boring modern japanese lessons, and some flirty comments going back and forth between the two girls, one blissfully day she had come up with the courage to ask the girl to join her on an ice cream treat.

And that's when everything started. And tried as she might, and considering all that followed after, Haruka couldn't truly find it in herself to actually regret that one day.

After some ice cream at the parlor, and a walk through the park, where they both sat down on a bench to watch the sunset, it finally happened. It was weird at first, like all real first kisses are, when their lips had come together for the first time.

But then they both had grown to like it, and more kisses soon followed that first one.

So they started seeing each other, always looking for a moment in time to be alone and explore each other and the feelings growing inside them. On one of those 'expeditions', lips locked and hands timidly caressing skin under the school uniform, Mamoru had walked into Haruka's room looking for only God knew what.

Haruka chuckled at the memory. She had never seen such a shade of red on her brother's face before, or ever since. Poor Mamoru. But he deserved it, for walking without knocking first, right?

But then everything went straight to Hell.

Her father died on that damned accident along with her aunt and uncle, and her world started to slowly but steadily fell apart. She would always be the strong one in front of Makoto and Minako, but then she would break down and cry within her girlfriend's arms.

It was on one of those moments, half a year after her father's death, when Haruka just broke down in tears, feeling the weight of being responsible for her sister and just so damn tired of always being the strong, independent one, when she just missed her father so much. Both girls were sitting down on the floor on the school's shower room, when her loving girlfriend had started to softly kiss the brokenly crying blonde. And right then, the school's cheerleader captain, and number one gossiper, had walked in on them, yelled to them some pretty nasty words, and ran out to tell everyone what she had just seen.

In less than half an hour the entire school knew about the kissing girls. Makoto had stick to her side, punching more than one guy right in the middle of their offending comments, supporting her cousin all the way, standing by her.

And Haruka loved her for that.

But as her reputation went from being the faster girl on the tracks, to being the school's dyke weirdo, her girlfriend, the girl she had thought she was in love with and who had said loved her back just as much, had completely disappeared from the face of the earth.

She had learned a couple of days after that, that her and her parents had left town. And Haruka never saw her or heard from her ever again. So she faced all her classmates with her head held high every day, and cried her heart out every night for months.

She remembered how Makoto would walk into her bedroom, and without saying any words, she would lay down on the bed besides the crying girl, and just hold her. She remembered how Setsuna would tell her time after time how there was nothing to be ashamed of, always encouraging her to go on, to try and mend her broken heart. How Minako would always join her on her trips to the kitchen on those sleepless nights, to drown herself in ice cream or one of Makoto's cakes. Or how Mamoru would take her out for a ride at any given moment, just to cheer her up.

And she deeply loved them all for that. So, she took the pieces of her broken heart, sealed it away, and promised herself she would do anything in her power to make her family happy, and proud of her again. So she dedicated all her time to her training as the fast runner she truly was, and then to her car races, making herself quite a reputation.

And in order to try and helped her family members to be happy, she had gone ring hunting with her brother when he finally decided to pop up the big question to her long time girlfriend. And she had helped her baby sister in all her boyfriend hunts, listening to her, and helping her in all those insane shopping flees, and had encouraged her to follow her dreams of becoming a model. She had convinced Setsuna to just quit that stupid boring desk job and open her own dreamed shop. And then she had made damn sure Makoto enlist herself on some cooking classes instead of just experimenting on their kitchen. Granted, the girl still made some experiments, but at least now she knew how without poisoning anyone.

Despite all their fighting, Haruka loved that girl to death. Makoto had been the one to helped her out with her broken heart, and Haruka had done the exact same thing for her when Makoto's boyfriend had left the country, leaving the brunette young girl behind.

_We always stick together_, she told herself. She knew she could tell her anything. She just couldn't come up with enough courage to tell her cousin about her whole Michiru problem.

Because there was one last promised she had made. She had vowed to herself to never let someone else made her feel that weak, that powerless and just so damn worthless, ever again. And she just knew the tall brunette would not understand that. Not with the way the girl would go on and on about how Haruka really needed to start dating again and find herself a nice loving girlfriend. Sure, she would flirt around, and occasionally made out with some random girl if giving the circumstances. But Haruka would never, ever, get close to someone again.

So no, her tall strong cousin would not understand her this time around. Because, unlike herself, Makoto hadn't given up.


	15. Surprises and high heels

**15 - Surprises and high heels**

Towel around her naked, and still pretty much wet body, and feeling fresh, clean and just smelling nice all over, Haruka stood in the middle of her bedroom, doing some serious clothe hunting. She vaguely wonder if Minako's behavior was contagious.

_Maybe I should go and check Mako's wardrobe_, she thought. And then tilted her head to the side. _No, wait, too much green for my liking. Ok, now what?_

She had less than an hour to get herself ready, and she had absolutely no idea of what to wear. She wasn't in the mood for a skirt, that was for sure.

Despite popular belief, she actually had quite a skirt collection. Ok, knee length skirts. But skirts anyway. And some really nice high heel shoes she religiously kept hidden from Minako's sight. The girl was completely and utterly crazy when it came down to shoes, and Haruka didn't want her shoes –her very _expensive_ shoes- on that blonde's hands.

_Clean underwear, checked. Body lotion, checked_, she mentally went through her 'after shower' to do list. _Hair_, she looked herself on her mirror, _as good as it gets. Clothe... still in progress. To wear or not to wear a skirt, that is the question_.

She had to make a good impression. Not that it really matter. They've known each other since ever. But uptight, incredibly rich and really powerful people were just the wrong kind of person to be on bad terms with.

And she secretly liked the looks she would get whenever she played her part, and she actually enjoyed dressing herself up from time to time –not that she would ever admit to _that_.

In the meantime, Michiru was laying down on the couch, trying really hard not to melt down. She could be out helping Setsuna and Makoto, or just talking the afternoon out with them.

Or she could be at Usagi's shop, helping the pregnant woman. Between her growing belly and the heated weather, the blonde was having a hard time working at her small shop.

But summer heat was just too much for Michiru to handle. And it was just too hot to even take a look outside the window. So, instead, she was happily dozing off, right hand over her head, playing with a curly aquamarine strand of hair. Blue summer dress on, bare feet lazily dancing around on the air.

_I wonder what Haruka is doing up there?_, she asked herself. She really couldn't help it. Not that she was actually _trying_ in the first place. But the tall blonde had made her way into Michiru's thoughts, and her blue eyes had found their own little favorite new hobby, which of course consisted on checking Haruka out every single chance she could get.

That little incident with those two old ladies a week ago came to her mind, and she wonder once again if there was any true to those words. Because, honestly, if half of it was –the half she was actually interested in-, then maybe her life was turning out better than she could have hoped for.

That, assuming she had a chance in the first place...

A knock on the door got her out of her daydream state, and she lazily got up and off the couch. She opened the door, and a somewhat tall, a little over weighted old man, probably on his late fifties, with gray hair and an equally gray mustache smiled at her.

"Good afternoon, young lady" he greeted "My name is Hiroyuki Kikawada, and I'm supposed to be meeting Miss Haruka"

"Sure, come in" Michiru said, stepping aside for Mr. Kikawada to get inside "I'll go and get her" she said, now making her way to the stairs in order to get the blonde woman.

But the moment her bare feet touch the bottom of the stairs and she looked up, she had to try really hard to keep her jaw in place. Her legs suddenly went weak on her, and she had to support herself against the wall just to avoid falling flat on her behind.

Up the stairs, and slowly coming down, was the most amazing sight she never thought possible.

Haruka was dressed in the most elegant, very feminine black palatzo, that hugged her hips just the right way. A black dress shirt unbuttoned at her chest, showing off some skin along with the white lace undershirt she was wearing. A white silk chalina tied around her waist was being used as a belt, and black high heeled stilettos were covering her feet, making Haruka look sophisticated and incredibly beautiful.

Her short blonde hair was in it's usual style, and all the make up she wore consisted of black mascara on her long eyelashes. And she had the word _business_ written all over.

_Oh God, she looks gorgeous!_ Michiru thought, capturing the blonde's every move as she came down the stairs and smiled down at the gasping girl. And then the Haruka she was used to came back and broke the spell by winking at her.

Michiru just blushed.

"Haruka!" Mr Kikawada exclaimed upon the blonde's arrival "Blessed the eyes that lay upon you!"

"Oh, please" was the blonde's answered, as she came nearer to Mr. Kikawada and let him took her hand and kiss it.

_Is she dating this guy?_ Michiru asked herself, curious, and disappointed

"A pleasure to see you again" Mr. Kikawada told her "Look at you, all grown up! And you look as lovely as ever. Just like your mother"

Haruka smiled a real smile at that, and then she turned to the young, still pretty much speechless, young girl.

"Michiru, let me introduce you to Mr. Hiroyuki Kikawada" and then turning back to Mr. Kikawada she said "Hiroyuki, this is my friend, Michiru Kaioh, she's staying with us over the summer, and then I believe she'll be attending to your school"

_So that's why his named sounded so familiar! He's _the_ Hiroyuki Kikawada! _Michiru told herself, but out loud said "It's an honor to meet you, sir"

"The honor is all mine!" he exclaimed, surprised "Miss Kaioh! I've heard so many good things about you! If I had known you were in town before!" he then looked at the blonde with a playful glance "Were you hiding her from me?"

"Of course not!" the blonde answered, smiling at the old man.

She actually liked Mr. Kikawada. He was pretty uptight, high class, and overall utterly old fashioned, but he was still a nice good old man. He had been her mother's best friend, and the one responsible for her parents ever meeting each other. So to honor that long time friendship, and as long as Haruka behave herself like a somewhat decent girl around him, Mr. Kikawada would gladly let her be. And of course he never payed any attention to the town gossips, so she was on safe ground.

And then, of course, she actually enjoyed her little 'look at me, I'm such a lovely lady' show, and the looks that followed, pretty much like the one Michiru was giving her now.

Even if the younger girl was trying not to.

_Oh yeah, I'm just a girl after all. Breath, Michiru, you're turning all blue on me_, she mentally teased.

"Why would I ever do such a thing?" she asked Mr. Kikawada, taking a seat on the couch, and signaling him to do the same.

"Because you like being mean to an old man's poor heart" he answered her "Now that I know you're here, I have no other choice but to beg for your assistance as well, Miss Kaioh"

"Please, don't scare her off" Haruka warned him.

"Haruka, you know I'm here to beg for your help with our summer recital" started Mr. Kikawada. "Not only Mister Ohta is unable to play because of his accident, but any decent musician out there is already busy that night, and everything is falling apart. I need you"

"I had a feeling you would say something like that" the blonde answered "And you know I haven't played that old piano for a while. Not in public, anyway"

"And that in itself is such a shame!" he exclaimed, and then he looked at Michiru "This young lady has an incredible talent, and she's hiding it from the rest of the world! Can you believe that? Please, Haruka, I would love to have you play a piece for all of us. Actually, I would love for the two of you to play a duet!"

"What?" the blonde asked.

"Are you sure, sir?" Michiru asked at the same time, just as surprised as the blonde girl.

"Yes, of course! It would be magnificent! I know you play wonderfully, Haruka, and I've heard so many great things about Miss Kaioh!" he exclaimed "And you two already know each other, so you shouldn't have a problem working together"

"No, it's not that" Haruka lied.

Of course she had a problem working with Michiru! A big one! She was trying to avoid the girl, for God's sake! But she couldn't say that out loud, so instead she just said "I really don't think I'm up to her standards"

"Don't get all modest with me" Mr. Kikawada said.

"If Haruka would have me as a partner, I'm more than happy to accept" Michiru said, and vaguely wondered if it actually sounded like such a double meaning answer to the blonde as it did to herself.

Haruka blinked. _Oh boy! Does she even know what she just said?_ she told to herself, but smiled at the younger girl and said "Of course I will" _Any day at any given moment_, she mentally added. And had to actually forced herself not to moan at the flash of possible scenarios that went through her mind's eye.

"It's settled then!" Mr. Kikawada exclaimed, getting up and making his way to the front door, Haruka fast behind him. "I'll leave it to you two to decided on what to play for the recital. I trust your judgment" he turned to say good bay to Michiru, and then to Haruka, before stepping out the door and into the heated summer afternoon, not giving the blonde a chance to decline the offer.

Haruka closed the door behind him, and once she made absolutely sure he was gone, she kicked her shoes off, let out a sight and rested her head against the door, closing her eyes.

She was actually a little bit nervous about the whole recital thing. The last time she had played for an audience had been a little over two years ago. And to top it off, now she had to play a duet with the girl that was hunting her sanity away.

"You never told me you played the piano" Michiru's voice reminded her that the girl was still standing beside her.

"You never asked" she answered her. And then she opened her eyes again, and stepping away from the door she said "Looks like we're gonna be working together for a while"

"Looks like it" Michiru agreed "You are truly amazing, did you know that?" she asked, but when the blonde just blinked at her and frowned, she said "Look at you! You look amazing!"

"What? Never seen a sexy girl on a black palatzo before?" she asked, winking.

"I've never seen a sexy _Haruka_ on a black palatzo before" she corrected.

Haruka couldn't believe she actually blushed at that.

"Then I guess today is just your lucky day" she said making her way upstairs to hide her red face from the younger girl, and in desperate need to get on some more comfortable clothing. But Michiru's voice stopped her before she could really go anywhere.

"Would you play something for me?" was Michiru's shy question. "Please?"

Haruka smiled down at the girl "Of course" _Anything for you, Michi_


	16. Music for the heart

On with the romance! A little Ruka - Michi _almost_ moment!

(I'm so mean)

**-----**

**16 - Music for the heart (lemonade for the heat!)**

She was sitting right next to Haruka, eyes closed and a soft dreamy smile upon her lips, while she listened to the soft, enchanting music coming from the old grand piano they were both sitting in front of.

She had always felt like being taken away into a different world whenever she played her violin. But she had never, ever, had that same feeling while listening to someone else's music.

And here she was now, with Haruka doing just that, with her long soft, fingers caressing the black and white keys, like a soft lover's touch.

_She's so perfect_, Michiru told herself, and her soft smile got a little bit wider.

Here she was, sitting next to the most amazing woman she had ever seen. Yes, a woman. Haruka was in no way a girl. Even if she was just nineteen years old, the tall blonde was already a woman.

A beautiful woman in so many different ways, Michiru couldn't really count them all.

And she was such a nice caring person too. She knew that from all the stories Minako and Makoto had both told her. Haruka was a faithful friend, and dedicated to her family, even if she did complain about them, and even if they all fought constantly. Michiru had come to realized their fights were never serious but rather playful, and it was actually their own way to show they cared.

And she had a great sense of humor. Michiru was willing to bet the blonde was able to make a rock laugh. _She's just so perfect. And so unreachable... I wish she would let me in_.

Oh yes, she could only wish. And dream. _Am I falling for her?_

Haruka's playing came to an end, and then she just sat there, eyes closed, hands softly resting on the last keys she had played.

"That was amazing" Michiru said, her voice a whisper, afraid of breaking off the spell that had come upon them. _No, I'm not falling for her. I already did._

"My mom used to play that song for us when we were little" the blonde answered, her own voice a husky whisper, opening her eyes and looking down at the girl beside her "She used to say it was her own little serenade for us"

"It's beautiful" the aquamarine haired girl said, not really sure if she was talking about the song, or about the girl next to her.

"Yes, it is" Haruka agreed. _And so are you, Michi. _Her eyes went to the girl's soft, pink lips. _You are just so... what are you doing to me?_

"Ruka, I..." Michiru began, not really knowing what to say; her own blue eyes on the other girl's tempting lips. _I love you, Ruka_.

Their faces came closer, eyes half closed, breaths caressing the other's lips. Haruka could feel her own heartbeat going insanely fast, but incredibly slow, all at once. Somewhere on the back of her mind she noticed her new given pet name, but right now all she could think of was closing the gap between her mouth and those soft looking, deliciously tempting lips...

"Hello! Anyone home?" came a greeting from the back door, soon followed by a "I'm so in the mood for a lemonade"

Haruka and Michiru both opened their eyes and jumped away from each other, hearts bumping on their ears, cheeks burning red.

And the blonde never thought she would hate Makoto's voice _so_ much! But at the same time, she was incredibly grateful! _Holly crap, I was this close to kiss her!_ That girl was dangerous! She was sure of it!

Michiru, on the other hand, was trying really hard to fight back her embarrassment, and her disappointment. She had been dreaming about a moment like that! Well, in her dreams the kiss would actually take place...

"There you are!" Makoto greeted both girls, completely unaware of the uncomfortable silence between the girls. Normally, she was very perceptive. But she was currently taken aback by Haruka's attire.

"What's with the hot chick look?" she asked.

"Mr Kikawada came by" Haruka answered, clearing her throat, and making her way out of the room and up the stairs to get out of those damn clothes, and away from that tempting little goddess.

"Oh! That was today? How did it go?" Makoto asked, half yelling after the blonde. But when she got no answer from her cousin, she turned to Michiru "So, who won?"

"Huh?" was all Michiru could say. Her mind had turned into jell-o.

"Did Haruka accepted this time around, or did Mr. Kikawada left empty handed again?" Makoto asked, a little bit more elaborated.

"Oh. No, she accepted" she answered.

"Really? Cool! About damn time too!" she grabbed the younger girl's hand and guided her to the kitchen with her, were she started to work on her fresh lemonade.

"He's been trying to get her into his Academy for years, but that dumb blonde won't listen. At least she used to play at these really fancy recitals for him whenever he asked her to. But last year she had this really big race that same day so..." Makoto explained, standing by the counter, knife in hand, cutting away lemon pieces.

"That's a shame, she's really talented" Michiru said, sitting on the booth by the counter and watching the brunette.

They heard a noise coming from the front door, and a happy bouncing Minako soon entered the kitchen.

"Hi there girls!" she greeted, smiling at them. But something outside on the backyard got her attention, and she soon frowned "There's that dog again!"

"Where?" Makoto asked, now looking outside too.

"There" Minako pointed out "We should really do something..."

"What is it doing?" Michiru asked, now watching at a rather large, black, and very unfriendly looking dog walking around on the backyard.

"Watering our plants" Makoto answered her, going back to her lemonade making process. "That stupid next door neighbor of ours has a hole on his fence, and that dog thinks our yard is just an extension of his territory"

At that moment Haruka walked into the kitchen, now dressed on some loose white pants and a blue t-shirt, trying very hard to ignore the aquamarine haired girl and just acting casual.

Minako grabbed her sister's arm "Go and do something about that dog!" she told her.

Haruka blinked, and then looked down at her "Why me?"

"Because you're supposed to be the strong, brave one!" the younger blonde answered her.

"I resent that" Makoto said.

"Just go out there and make him leave!" Minako insisted.

"Are you kidding me? That's a freaking rottweiler!" Haruka protested.

"It doesn't really look friendly" Michiru said.

And when the tall blonde finally looked at her, she had to keep herself from staring at those lips. She blushed, and lowered her face. Luckily for her, Makoto was too concentrated on her lemonade, and Minako's attention was focused on her older sister, so no one but the tall blonde noticed.

"Exactly" she agreed, secretly smiling, happy that she was actually able to have such a reaction out of the young girl. Specially after their _almost_ kiss. But she quickly turned back to her sister, and said "Have you seen that dog's jaw? I'd like to keep both my arms attached to my body, thank you very much"

"Chicken" the young girl accused.

"Bite me, dumb blonde"

"Ok, enough you two!" Makoto said, before the sisters could get into another one of their fights "If you're so worried over that stupid dog, go and talk to its owner" she said to Minako, and then looked to the other blonde "And we all like you better in one piece. Just stop bitching around"

And that was, pretty much, the end of the argument. Makoto finished making the lemonade, and the four of them sat down around the table, drinking the heat away, peacefully enjoying the comfortable silence.

The silence being actually comfortable for two unaware girls, while blue eyes would meet green ones every now and then, and flashing memories of a ruined moment and hidden desires would make the other two girls look away, just to find each others eyes all over again.

* * *

A.N.: in my country, we call this "histeriqueo"!


	17. A blonde on a fancy dress

**17 - A blonde on a fancy dress**

"Can we go now?" a husky, bored, and a little bit annoyed female voice asked the cheerful blonde that was currently trying to balance all her shopping bags in one hand, while grabbing the little black haired girl's hand with the other.

Ok, not all her shopping bags. Haruka was carrying five of those too.

"You're any bank account's nightmare, did you know that?" she asked her little sister.

"Oh, please! What's the point on having money if pretty little girls like me can't go out and have a really nice, relaxing shopping flee, huh?" Minako answered, finally able to grab her three bags in one hand.

"You have a really weird definition of relaxing" Haruka mumbled, putting her sunglasses on and deciding to just turn off the world around her.

Which of course consisted of the mall, with crazy women -just like Minako- walking around with hundreds of shopping bags on their hands, screaming and laughing and just being incredibly annoying over that new lipstick, and that particular dress, and those cool shoes...

"I'm going home" she said, making her way out of that nuthouse.

"Oh no, you're not!" Minako stopped her, grabbing her hand and successfully dropping all her bags to the floor "You promised you would look for something nice to wear for that recital of yours!"

"Can I have an ice cream?" Hotaru asked, looking up at the two blondes "Please?"

"Sure, sweetie, I'll take you" Haruka was fast to answer. But Minako stopped her before she could take the little girl's hand, and looked at her.

"You promised!" she exclaimed "So I'll take her for an ice cream, and you'll go and find Michiru, and then you are going to look for something nice for yourself, got it?" she finished, taking all the bags out of Haruka's hands, to make sure the tall blonde won't come up with another excuse to just run out of the mall.

"Now, I believe she was looking for a dress on that shop over there" she pointed out "So go and fetch her. We'll be at the ice cream parlor over there" she point to the other side "Happy hunting!"

And off she went, making a pretty funny scene just trying to hold on to all those shopping bags full of things she probably didn't really need in the first place, little Hotaru jumping right beside her all too happy for her upcoming ice cream treat.

"'Happy hunt...'? Damned crazy blonde!" Haruka mumbled after her sister's retreating form "And she just had to go and leave!"

Haruka took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. Since that little incident with Michiru two days ago, she had been doing everything in her power to avoid being alone with the younger girl.

She simply didn't trust herself around her! Michiru was just too damn beautiful and tempting, and Haruka was, after all, only human. And she knew that she would not be able to stop herself if that episode ever came around for a rerun. Oh no, if that ever happened, she would completely lose herself and kiss the girl senseless!

So, avoiding it was.

Of course being with at least one other person around wasn't easy. Specially when both girls had to start practicing for the recital. They haven't actually discussed anything about it in a real serious manner, and Haruka was so not looking for that particular moment.

She entered the shop her sister had pointed out. There were some 'potential clients' walking around the place, some being assisted by a sales lady, some just making their way through all the dresses hanging around, looking for a perfect dress for only God knew what important event on their lives.

Yes, they were a bunch of crazy, crazy women in Haruka's mind, but no Michiru around.

"Oh well" she said, and was just about to turn around and leave, when she saw her.

She had just came out of one of the dressing rooms at the back of the shop, dressed on the most exquisite deep green silk night gown, that hanged to her breasts and hips perfectly, and then it flowed down to the floor. It showed the tiniest bit of cleavage, thin golden straps holding the dress on perfectly white shoulders, and went all the way down to her lower back, exposing the soft white skin there.

And it looked just perfect on the aquamarine haired goddess, like it was made just for her.

Without even knowing she was moving, she suddenly found herself walking up to the younger girl, who soon noticed her and smiled at her, holding the long flowing skirts of her dress and spinning around.

"What do you think?" she asked the tall woman. "I was thinking maybe wearing this for the recital. So, you like it?"

_She looks so beautiful and.. hot. Damn, she has great boobs! Don't tell her that! Say something nice! _Haruka's mind was, for the most part, not available at the moment, so when she heard her own voice talking, she wanted to kick herself.

"Um, sure, looks fine"

_Looks fine? What on earth? That was definitively _not_ nice, you moron!_

"Oh" was Michiru's answer towards the blonde's lack of reaction.

What was she really hoping for anyways? A compliment? That blonde was so utterly confusing! Haruka would be all flirting and charming one moment, and then she would turned into this quiet and distant person who was obviously trying to avoid her like the plague. And she knew Haruka wasn't into dresses, anyway.

Haruka noticed the younger girl sudden disappointed face, and quickly said, in a more steady, controlled voice "I mean, it looks really nice, and you look great on it. You should definitively buy it, it was practically made for you"

Michiru looked up at her, and a warm smile spread on her face at the same time that a light blush tinted her cheeks "Thanks. I think I will, then"

And then the young girl disappeared into the changing room, leaving Haruka standing there. But before she could snap herself out of her little trance, Michiru was standing by her side again, now dressed on the same lavender summer dress she had been wearing when they left the house.

"Now it's your turn" she informed the taller girl.

"Yeah... wait, what?" she exclaimed, looking down at a giggling Michiru.

"You promised you would look for something too, remember?"

"So? This is a freaking dress shop! And I don't do dresses!" Haruka firmly said.

"Oh, please! Just one! Try one on, and then we'll leave" the younger girl pleaded, her best puppy eyed look upon her face –having Minako as a friend did come with some benefits.

"No way! Forget it!" she said, trying to turn around and leave.

"Please, do it for me?" she insisted, now hanging on the blonde's arm, making sure she wouldn't go away "You don't have to buy it, just try one on. Please, Ruka? I just want to see you" she said.

The blonde looked down on the girl hanging off of her arm.

_You have no idea how much I wish you would actually mean that_, she thought. And let out a sight of defeat. "Ok, fine! Just one dress, that's it, and then I'm out! So stop with the begging already"

"Ok, deal!" the girl answered her, all too happy, and then pushed her inside the changing room she had previously vacated "Just wait here!"

And with that, Haruka found herself staring at her own image on the mirror inside the damn little changing room, waiting for Michiru to bring her some stupid dress she was absolutely positive she wasn't going to buy. Long, flowing, silky dresses were just not made for her!

_Oh, well... one quick try on and then I'm out of here!_, she told herself, _She called me Ruka again..._

Michiru was fast to come back. When she had been looking for a dress for herself, she had found the most amazing one that she just knew would look great on the tall blonde woman. It was just perfect. So she handed the dress to said blonde with a smile on her face. But when Haruka only looked down at her without even taking the dress, she frowned.

"Well? Are you gonna try it on or what?"

"Gold?" Haruka asked her back, raising an eyebrow "Honestly, gold?"

"It's not gold, it's yellow!" Michiru told her, shoving the dress to the blonde's chest and closing the dressing room curtains, to make sure the girl would get the message and stop complaining.

Haruka looked at the dress and sighed. Ok, so it wasn't gold. It sure looked like it, with that shade of yellow and it's silky material that definitively made it _seemed_ like gold when the light hit it right.

_Ok, here we go_, she told herself, taking off her wide blue t-shirt and kicking her shoes off. A look at the dress told her that her bra had to come off as well.

Once that was done, she took the dress and put it on over her head, letting the material slide down her frame, and tiding a little bow at the back of her neck. She went for the zipper on the lower back, but the damn thing got somehow stuck.

"Oh, crap!" she exclaimed, trying not to reap apart the dress.

"Regretting it already?" came Michiru's amused voice from the other side of the changing room.

"You have no idea!" she answered, rolling her eyes. Ok, so the material sure felt nice on her skin. But still!

"That's what you get for not borrowing your car to Minako" the younger girl said, giggling.

"There's no way in hell I'll let that blonde anywhere near my car, ever again!" Haruka exclaimed, still fighting with the zipper

Michiru giggled again, but then quickly asked "Need any help?"

Haruka looked at herself, and gave out a sigh of defeat "Yes, please" she answered to the younger girl, who then opened up the curtains and looked at her from the mirror.

The blonde was standing in the middle of the dressing room, facing the mirror, and her exposed back facing Michiru. And when she noticed the girl just standing there, looking at her, she clear her throat "Could you... um, help me with the um... zipper thing?"

Michiru blinked at her, a little surprised, but then quickly looked down at the mentioned zipper, low on the blonde's back, and her hands went down to zip the girl up.

The contact of her cold small hands with the other girl's back made them both shiver, and soon Haruka was all dressed up on a fancy night gown. A yellow, almost gold, fancy night gown, that hanged from her neck down to her body in a loose but elegant way, with a low V cleavage line that ended up right at the valley of her breasts in the most sexy way. The dress then went down, hugging her hips just the right way, and flowed loosely down to the floor.

"You look amazing" Michiru whispered, standing right behind Haruka and looking at her through the mirror, her hands still on the blonde's hips.

"So beautiful" she breathed, sending shivers down the other girl's spine.

And Haruka couldn't _believe_ she actually blushed at Michiru's words.

It was a great dress, the blonde would admit to that. To herself, of course.

"Whatever" she said, trying to fight down her embarrassment "There, I tried it on, you happy? Can I take it off now?"

Michiru gave her a warm smile "Sure. But you really should get that dress, it looks so great on you!" she said, but when the blonde just rolled her eyes, she let out a sigh "Ok, fine, have it your way! I'll go and pay for my dress, and then I'll wait for you outside, kay?"

She left the blonde to change back to her normal clothes, and went to pay for her dress. The sales smiling lady asked her if she would be getting anything else, and Michiru had to stopped herself from saying that, yes, she would be also taking that yellow dress.

But she didn't say that. She really didn't want Haruka to be mad at her. If she wasn't already... But seeing the tall blonde woman on that dress had been so worth it!

She walked outside the shop and smiled, holding her shopping bag with both hands and rolling on the balls of her feet. _She's so beautiful_, she thought of the blonde still inside the shop, _I wonder why she hides herself... Though she does look great on those loose pants of hers... She's so beautiful she'd probably look great on anything_.

She was so lost in her own thoughts full of a certain blonde haired woman, that when she felt a cold, calloused hand on the back of her neck she almost jump up. But the cold fear that froze her in place came right after a voice whispered on her hear.

"I never thought I'd see you again, little bird" said that horrible voice she thought she'll never hear again.


	18. Fears and tears

**18 - Fears and tears**

Her face went completely white with sudden fear, and her entire body started to tremble. She shot her eyes, hoping, praying that she was only having a nightmare.

A really bad, horrible nightmare.

But when she felt that same hand still on the back of her neck making a little pressure, she turned around, fearful eyes drowning in hate.

"Leave me alone" she said, hating her own trembling voice.

"Oh but, little bird, I'm just so happy to see you" Yuuta said to her, a wicked smile on his face "You're such a pretty sight, did you know that? And I've missed you. We never really got a chance to finished our little fun time together"

"Get away from me, or I'll scream" Michiru told him, hoping her voice sounded at least a little threatening.

"Oh really?" he laughed, grabbing her hands by the wrists and sending her little body straight up against his own "What exactly did you think you were doing, running away with all my money, you little whore?"

"It's _my_ money, you monster!" she exclaimed, trying to push him aside and get away from that man "I earned it!"

She needed to run, she wanted to scream. And she was so scared of Haruka coming out of that shop at that moment and seeing this monster holding her so close.

She felt so ashamed all of a sudden, so helpless...

"Come on, little bird, is that a way to say hi to the man who's trying to make you a real woman?" he asked, now running one hand down her body, and caressing her hip, to then encircled her by her waist, getting her even closer to him "I promise I won't hurt you... not much, anyway"

"Get off me!" she yelled, tears suddenly watering her eyes, and she closed them, praying to any God up there for help.

And suddenly she was free from his grip, and she fell down to the floor, crying, and too scared to look up again.

"I believe the lady asked you to let her go" a husky voice said from somewhere besides her.

And Michiru thought she'd never been so happy and thankful of hearing that voice.

She looked up in time to see Haruka holding Yuuta, a strong arm around his neck, her other hand holding his arm behind his back in what it looked like a painfully strong grip.

"Now, she asked you nicely, so back off" she then said to him, pushing him away.

Yuuta turned around, staring at Haruka with such a hateful look upon his face, that Michiru feared he was going to kill them both.

"Stay out of this, boy!" he told her trough his teeth "Are you screwing this boy? You were just dying to have a big cock inside you, weren't you, you whore!" he asked, looking down at Michiru in the most disgusting, wicked way.

But before she could answer anything, and before he could say another word, a fit came to his face, sending him backwards, stumbling and surprised at the sudden strong punch on his chin.

"You better keep you mouth shut, asshole!" Haruka warned him, hands up on fits, ready to punch him again. And really, really wanting to.

"Is everything alright here?" came another voice from behind Haruka, a young, tall security guard on his mid twenties standing there, looking at Haruka and then at Michiru, still laying on the floor "Is there a problem here, Tenoh?" he asked the tall blonde.

"Everything's alright, Asami, we were just leaving" she answered him, bending down and helping Michiru up on her feet, and grabbing the forgotten shopping bag.

She then walked past both standing men, and when she was next to Yuuta, she looked at him and whispered "If you so much as blink in her direction ever again, I'll kill you" her voice steady and dead serious.

And with that, she walked away, Michiru in her arms. She felt the younger girl trembling arms encircling her waist in a dead grip, and she could feel her shaking body against her own. So when they were at a safe distance, she stopped on her tracks and looked down at the crying girl.

And she felt her own heart sinking at the sight of those big blue eyes full of tears and fear.

"Are you alright?" she asked the younger girl. She didn't really know who that guy was, but just looking at Michiru now, she wanted to go back and strangle the damn asshole for ever putting his dirty hands on the girl.

She seemed so scared of him. Did she know him? Had he hurt Michiru before?

"He didn't hurt you, did he? I'm sorry it took me so long to..."

Michiru just shook her head, and buried her face on the blonde's chest, crying on the girl's t-shirt and holding her tight, breathing in her scent just to make sure the blonde was real, and she was out of that monster's grip.

Haruka put her arms around the crying girl's shoulders, and kissed her forehead "It's ok, you're safe now. Let's just go home now, ok?" she said in a soft voice.

She felt the girl nodding her head and sniffing, and she then started making her way out of the mall, to her car, with Michiru still in her arms. She opened the door for her, and then shut it, taking her cellphone out of her back pocket and sending a text to her sister, telling her they were heading home and that Minako and Hotaru would need to take a taxi back home. She just hoped Minako had enough money on her.

They made their way home in silence, Michiru rolled in a ball against the door, looking out the window, and quietly crying. She was so embarrassed. And she couldn't shake her fear away, even though she was now in Haruka's car, with the blonde sitting next to her and giving her worried side glances from time to time.

Haruka parked her car on the garage, and when Michiru opened her door and ran out, she ran right after her, stopping her right before she could enter the house. She held her by the waist, and carefully put a hand on the girl's chin, making her look up at her.

"I... I'm sorry, I thought he..." Michiru started, her voice trembling "I didn't... I couldn't..."

"Shh, it's ok" Haruka said, robbing her back "Breath, it's ok, I'm with you, just breath" she told her, trying to calm her down.

"I'm sorry" the younger girl said, before stepping out of the blonde's embrace and running into the house.

She run into Setsuna on her way, and the dark green haired woman looked at her wet face and red puffy eyes, and frowned.

"Honey, what's wrong?" she asked, worried.

But Michiru simply shook her head and went running upstairs, not answering the older woman's question. And when Haruka came in after the girl, Setsuna looked at her with a questioning look upon her face, wondering what the hell happened between those two to make the aquamarine haired girl look like that.

"I didn't do anything!" Haruka said, as if reading her cousin's mind "I'll explain later, just..." she didn't finished her sentence. Instead, she walked up the stairs, after the crying girl. She heard a door closing, and she made her way to Michiru's bedroom door.

She didn't bother knocking, she just opened the door and walked right in. She saw her sitting on the bed, hugging her legs, face buried between her knees. And she could hear her softly crying to herself.

"Michiru" she called out. But when the girl didn't answer, she walked up to the bed, and knelt down in front of her.

"Please, look at me" she said, her voice soft and husky, pleading.

And she did. Michiru looked at those green, worried eyes, and blinked once before throwing herself into Haruka's arms, holding her close. She desperately needed to be held close and to feel safe on the blonde's comforting arms, and just forget about the world out there and that goddamn man.

"It's ok, please don't cry" Haruka said in a soft pleading voice "You're home, it's ok now"

Michiru nodded her head, and when Haruka sat down next to her, she hugged the blonde closer and buried her face on her chest.

"Thank you" she said, her voice muffled against her t-shirt. She felt Haruka's hand gently rubbing her back, and a soft thankful smile made its way to her wet face, and she looked up again and into those worried green eyes staring down at her.

The tall blonde looked at Michiru's blue tearful eyes, and the small shy smile on her lips, and she just couldn't take it anymore. She couldn't stop herself from closing the small gap between their faces, meeting the young girl's lips on a soft, almost shy kiss.

Slowly, softly, she simply couldn't help but kiss those pink lips.


	19. Kiss my fears away

Ok, another chap! Thank you all so much for your wonderful reviews! No worries, there won't be any rape scene. Sex scenes, sure, but no rape! I wanted to make them suffer a little (and they WILL suffer a bit further...) but I'm not THAT mean!

And Rei and Ami would show up in a few more chaps, promise! I actually mentioned one of them already, see if you can guess who's who!

Enjoy!!

-------------------

**19 - Kiss my fears away**

When Haruka's mind finally returned to her, she wanted to kick her own ass.

She broke away from the kiss, looking down on Michiru's surprised face, and she instantly regretted ever kissing the girl. What was she thinking? The girl was obviously upset, and probably scared to death, and the last thing she needed right now was being kissed!

And by another girl, no less! _Way to blow it, idiot!_ Haruka scolded herself.

"I... I'm sorry" she stuttered "I didn't mean to..."

Michiru's eyes went wide, and she felt her own heart sinking down to her stomach "Oh..." was all she could say, looking down.

"I mean, I did... I do! But..." the blonde continued, babbling now "Oh crap, I'm not good at this!" she exclaimed, raising her hands up in the air.

She took a deep breath, and then looked back at Michiru's down face "I didn't want to make you feel uncomfortable, so I'm sorry about _that_. I promise I won't do it again"

At that, Michiru looked into the blonde's green eyes again, and blushed, "But I want you to" she admitted shyly.

Haruka had to blink at that, surprised out of her mind. "You do?"

She saw the younger girl biting her lower lip and getting closer to her, to then take Haruka's hands in her own, and look up at her eyes again.

"I like you, Ruka" she said, in a low whisper.

And that was pretty much all the reason Haruka needed to lower her face again to the girl's lips. She kissed her softly again, barely brushing her lips against Michiru's, enjoying the feeling of those velvet full lips on her own.

"I like you too, Michi" she whispered back, looking into deep blue eyes.

The aquamarine haired girl smiled at that, and then lifted her face to meet Haruka's lips again, one hand on soft blonde hair, the other going around a thin waist, caressing the tall woman through the material of her t-shirt. And she couldn't help but shuddered happily when she felt the other girl gently putting one hand on the back of her neck, long soft fingers on her hair, the other hand on the small of her back.

She felt the blonde's tongue slowly, almost shyly caressing her lips, asking for permission, and she gladly opened her mouth to her, deepening the kiss. Tongues dancing together, slowly discovering the sweetness of the other's mouth, Haruka could swore she felt her heart skipped more than one beat, and when she heard the soft groan that escaped Michiru's throat her stomach made the most exciting dance inside her.

They broke apart slowly, soft green eyes looking into dreamy blue ones, small smiles on their faces, and still holding each other.

"Wow" Michiru whispered "You really are amazing" a shy but happy smile on her blushed face.

Haruka chuckled "I'll take that as a compliment"

"It is" she said, softly kissing the blonde's lips again.

They stayed like that for a while, sitting on the bed and just holding each other close, soft kisses being showered on the other's lips, cheeks, necks.

But when Michiru snuggled closer to her, resting her curly head on the blonde's shoulder and letting out a soft, content sigh, Haruka remembered the reason she had came up after the younger girl in the first place.

"Can I ask you what happened back there?" she asked in a low voice, somehow afraid of scaring the girl off "I mean... who was he?"

Michiru took a deep breath, and then lift her face to look at the other girl's concerned face.

"His name is Yuuta Asuke. He's my mother's husband" she told her "I never really liked him"

"He didn't seem like a nice guy to me" Haruka winced. "He looked like he was more than ready to reap your clothes off"

"I know" the younger girl answered, lowering her gaze.

But Haruka put a hand on her chin, gently making her look up at her again.

"So he's the reason you left" it wasn't a question, but Michiru still nodded her head "Did he... Did he ever... hurt you?" she needed to know. She didn't _want to_, or she would be out of the house to hunt him down and kill him in a less than a second, but she needed to. She couldn't even begin to imagine how Michiru –or anyone for that matter, but specially Michiru- could ever face something like that.

Michiru shook her head "No" she softly answered, understanding what the blonde had been meaning to ask "He tried. Once" she added, and she felt Haruka's arm hooked around her waist in a comforting hold "But my mother got home before he could actually do anything, and then he came up with this ridiculous story about me coming on to him..." she let her hands wonder through the blonde's soft short hair, and smiled when she saw Haruka closing her eyes, happily accepting her administrations "I can't believe my mother actually bought it. And then she kicked me out. Literally"

"I'm sorry" the blonde said, thumbs caressing soft bare arms.

Michiru just shook her shoulders "I'm not" she said. But when the blonde looked at her and just blinked, she smiled up to her "It led me here" she said hugging her closer.

Haruka returned the smile, and kissed the girl's forehead "I'm glad it happened, then"

Michiru rested her head on the tall girl's shoulder, and closed her eyes "Me too" she softly said "I don't think my mother ever cared about me that much in the first place" she admitted "She just put up with me for my father's sake. And then after he died, she just had to keep me around to squeeze the money out of me and my music"

"She sounds nice" Haruka joked, Michiru punched her in the arm, and the blonde chuckled "Sorry to hear about your dad though. I know that sucks"

"Yeah, pretty much" she rested her head on the blonde's shoulder again "How come we never talked like this before?" she suddenly asked.

"Easy. I was trying to avoid you. You're dangerous!" again, a punch on her arm, and she laughed "Honestly, have you seen yourself on a mirror lately? You're just too damn tempting"

"I could say the same about you" Michiru said, kissing the tall woman's jaw "But if it took you this long, I should probably work on my charms"

Haruka just laughed at that. And when she calmed down, she looked at the girl in her arms and smiled "I don't think that would be necessary. I guess I was just scared you'd freak out on me or something"

"Well I didn't, so I guess we'll burn down in Hell together and condemned out souls forever" she said, faking a serious glare.

"So you heard?" the blonde asked, looking surprised "And you are still not freaked out? I mean, my family and I... we're not exactly popular... specially me"

"I was kinda hoping you'll let me in on that little cult of yours and then we could dance around the fire together" she joked, smiling. "Sounds like fun!"

"I see you've been talking to Makoto"


	20. New couple, old couple

Let's play a little game called "Guess which one of the missing characters is mentioned in this chap"! ;P

OK, another chapter, a little family moment. Did you know some of this family moments are actually based on my own family? (Yes, we are quite the crazy, dysfunctional bunch!)

Hope you like it!

* * *

**20 - New couple, old couple**

Michiru let out a deep sigh and stretched herself, looking at the blonde sitting on the piano, who was looking back at her with a smile on her pretty face.

"Tired already?" Haruka asked.

"A little. And I'm hungry" Michiru answered "Let's take a break and see if dinner's ready"

They've been practicing together, playing their music, for almost three hours now. And Michiru was actually surprised at how well they complemented each other's music. It felt as if they've been playing together forever.

_I _feel _like I've been with her forever_, Michiru thought to herself, walking up to the blonde and kissing her lips. _I can't believe it's been only a week_.

The greatest, happiest week of her life. With one embarrassing moment or two –or maybe more-, specially when Setsuna had walked in on the living room just to find the two girls on a deep sweet kiss.

The tall woman had just laughed at both girls and said something like "About time" before walking out again.

Or when Usagi had came home earlier from work, and found them on the couch, holding each other. She had looked down at them, blinked, and then a wide smile had come to her face.

"You two look so cute together!" she had told them.

So, of course, the entire family knew about them by now. And Mamoru would sometimes tease his sister to death, and Haruka would turned completely red and say something back to him and they both would start an argument that would only end up with Setsuna trying to calm them down, little Hotaru giggling at the fighting siblings, and everyone else simply laughing at the blushing new couple.

All in all, Michiru had never been this happy. With Haruka, she wasn't afraid of being herself. She didn't have to put up a mask and act as the perfect little princess. And she could see the blonde's walls slowly fading away, and with every little new thing Michiru found, she couldn't help but fall deeper and deeper.

With the blonde beside her, Michiru felt safe. And at ease. And loved. And every kiss, every soft caress, every look, made her blood feel like liquid fire and more alive than ever.

She had never felt like that before. Not that she had _that_ much experience... She had been only with one girl before, and never went any further than soft caresses between their legs, over their underwear. But things haven't felt right for either one of them, so they ended their little romance, and remained friends.

Of course nothing even remotely close to that had ever happened between her and the tall, sexy blonde.

Yet.

And Michiru was silently wondering when it would happen. She would of blushed at her own lustful thoughts –and sometimes she did-, if it weren't for the knowledge that said blonde was silently wondering exactly the same. She knew that much, because of the way Haruka would look at her sometimes, and the way that look would make her shiver.

Michiru put her violin on the case, and Haruka took her hand and they both made their way to the kitchen. But right on the doorway, Haruka stopped dead on her tracks, Michiru bumping into the tall girl's back.

"Ouch!" she complained, rubbing her nose.

"Ok, that's just scary" she heard Haruka saying.

Michiru frowned, and stood on her tiptoes to see what exactly was the blonde talking about.

And that's when she saw it.

Setsuna was sitting in a booth by the counter, forgotten glass of water in her hands, with an amused look upon her face. And all her attention was concentrated on a tall brunette girl who was currently dancing around, holding her wooden spoon as if it was her microphone, and loudly singing to an old Mariah Carey love song.

And doing it pretty badly.

"Should I be worried?" Haruka asked, walking up to Setsuna.

"I haven't decided yet" the older woman answered her, still looking at her sister.

Makoto noticed the two girls that had just been added to her little audience, and she started pointing fingers at them, singing to the song's chorus. A big smile on her face.

"She's been like that since we came back from work" Setsuna said.

"Are you turning Minako on me?" Haruka asked the dancing, singing girl.

"What's going on here?" came Usagi's voice, entering the kitchen.

"Makoto is acting all Minako on us" Haruka replied, not really looking at her sister in law.

"Isn't it bad enough with one of those?" Usagi asked, rhetorically.

"Hey! I resent that!" Makoto exclaimed, hands on her hips.

"See? She's even defending the blonde twit!" Haruka exclaimed "Please, come back to us! I like you better when you're normal!"

Makoto slapped her on the head with her hand "I didn't mean _that_ part, you moron!" she told her "I meant the whole 'turning Minako' thing" she then turned around and took her long forgotten knife and started chopping some carrots. "Can't a girl just be happy and sing?" she asked to no one in particular

"Is that how you call it?" Setsuna asked her.

Makoto stuck her tongue at her, and then continued with her task.

"Well, you have to admit you're acting a little weird here" Michiru said, still smiling over the whole singing like dying dog scene.

"Yeah" Haruka agreed "The last time I saw you this happy was when..." she didn't finished her sentence. Instead, her green eyes went wide open, jaw almost hitting the floor.

"Oh yeah" Setsuna said to her blonde, and quite surprised looking cousin, a knowing smile playing on her lips "It starts with an 'N' and it ends with 'ephrite'. You know, brown long hair, really tall..."

"No way!" Usagi exclaimed, interrupting Setsuna's description, her own eyes going wide.

"Are you shitting me right now?" Haruka asked.

"No, I'm not 'shitting you', as you so nicely put it. He actually came by the shop this afternoon, and then she went all... well, like that" Setsuna said, pointing at her sister.

"Who's Nephrite?" Michiru asked, not really knowing what they were talking about.

"Makoto's old boyfriend" Usagi answered.

"Yeah, he was this really big time chef" Haruka explained "And he got this great job offer in France or something"

"And Makoto actually told him to go, can you believe that?" Usagi continued.

"Well, he had to!" Makoto exclaimed "If he stayed and missed his big chance, he would have ended up hating me in the long run"

"But that's not it!" Usagi exclaimed, looking excited at Michiru "Before he left, he promised her he would come back for her"

"That sounds romantic" Michiru said, looking at the tall, smiling brunette.

"It is! Isn't it?" Makoto said, putting her elbows up on the counter and resting her head on her hands, a dreamy expression on her face.

"So, what happened?" Michiru wanted to know.

"He came back!" the brunette answered with an excited tone of voice.

Haruka rolled her eyes "Yeah, we got that part" she said "And?" she asked again, waving her hand, asking the brunette to go on and fill them in.

"He asked me out!" Makoto exclaimed, with a wide smile on her face, standing straight again and doing a little dance "We're going out to dinner tomorrow and, who knows! Right? Maybe we can start over again"

"That's great, Mako!" Usagi exclaimed going to hug the tall girl, happy for her friend.

"Wait! Dinner?" Haruka asked, frowning "And who's gonna feed me?"

"Oh, you're just jealous 'cause you and Michiru won't be the new cute couple anymore!" the brunette said, going back to her cooking.

Michiru blushed, and Haruka narrowed her eyes "Whatever, twit"


	21. Sweet words whispered in the dark

**BIG WARNING** (thought I shouldn't, 'cause there's a reason I rated this story like I did, but, oh well...)

Big, HUGE sex scene! So if you don't like it, just skip the whole chap, and let's just say the made love, and then jump to the next chap, kay?

Enjoy!!

-------------

**21 - Sweet words whispered in the dark**

She looked herself on the mirror, toothbrush in her mouth, and eyed her blue silk nightgown neatly fold on the bathroom counter.

She frowned, looked back at her own reflection, and took a lock of aquamarine hair, trying to comb her curls with one hand. _I'm so vain_, she thought to herself, giggling.

She then wiped her mouth, checked herself on the mirror again, and a mischievous smile came upon her lips when she walked out of the bathroom and down to the last closed door on the hallway.

It was already late, and everyone else was probably sleeping. But she had told Haruka, while walking down the beach one day, that when she was a little girl she used to think she was actually a mermaid, and she would spend hours on the water, trying to make her beautiful mermaid tale come out.

The blonde, of course, had laughed good heartily, but then Haruka had promised her to take her out for a night walk down the beach, saying the place just looked so incredibly peaceful. And well, tonight Michiru didn't really feel like going to bed yet.

So waking up her favorite blonde and going out for a car ride along the beach sounded just great.

She slowly opened the door, peeking into the dark bedroom. And her mischievous smile turn into a soft one when she saw a blonde, tall, beautiful woman sleeping on the bed, laying on her back, one arm up above her head, a hand resting on her stomach, a white cotton short and a black faded sweatshirt as her night clothing.

_She looks so cute_, Michiru thought, walking up to the bed.

"Ruka, are you awake?" she whispered to the blonde. But got no answer.

She let herself down on the bed next to the sleeping form, and went for the blonde's neck, kissing it.

"Wake up, sleeping beauty" she softly sang against the soft skin. "It's time for a night car ride"

But when her only answer was a soft groan, she smiled again, put both her hands on the blonde's hips, slowly letting them make their way up her belly, sliding underneath the black sweatshirt.

Again, no response, except for a soft sound that came from Haruka's throat, that resembled a groan mixed up with a sigh.

But the sleeping girl didn't open her eyes. So Michiru's mischievous smile came to her lips again, and she went down to the now exposed stomach and planted a kiss there, and then started making small patterns with the tip of her tongue against the warm skin.

"Wake up, Ruka" she called again, hands still against the blonde's exposed skin, her mouth now going up again and softly sucking on her neck.

A hand came up to her lower back, and another found its way to the back of her neck.

"Is this your way of convincing me to get out of bed?" the sleepy, husky, incredibly sexy voice of the blonde under her asked "'Cause it's so not working"

Michiru looked into green eyes, and smiled "Perv" she teased.

"Hey! I'm the one being ravished here" Haruka said, frowning and in a fake offended voice.

"Well, it's not my fault you're just so deliciously tempting that you actually got me all distracted from my task, now is it?" she asked, eyebrow raised.

The hand on the back of her neck brought her down to the blonde's waiting lips, and they shared a deep kiss.

"I'm not complaining, though" Haruka said when they broke apart, grabbing the younger girl by her waist and rolling them over together, with the blonde now on top "Be my guest" she smirked.

"Gladly" Michiru answered, before their mouth met on a deep, passionate kiss, tongues dancing together.

Haruka felt a small hand making it's way up her half exposed back, and then under her sweatshirt, nails softly pressing down on her skin. Another hand was messing with her short blonde hair, massaging her skull.

She allowed her lips to wonder their way to the girl's jaw, down her throat, lightly sucking on her soft, delicious skin. Her own hands slowly making their way up against long, perfect legs, softly caressing Michiru's thighs.

When she felt a knee being pushed between her legs, brushing against her, a soft moan escaped her lips, and she couldn't help but move her hips towards that sweet pressure, and went to trail soft wet kissed along Michiru's collarbone.

She was slowly but steadily losing herself to the girl's sweet administrations.

With one hand against the mattress, supporting her weight, Haruka let her other hand make its way up Michiru's body, but stopped right below her breast when she felt the girl take a deep intake of breath.

She looked at her, worried, not wanting to scare the girl away.

They've never gone this far before. Hell, _she_'s never been that much farther than this! But she so wanted to. She wanted to feel her, to taste her. She wanted, _needed_ them to explore every single inch of each other's bodies.

But she knew that this wasn't just a hormonal, curious desire, like it had been before. No, this time was different. This time was so much more meaningful, so much more special. Everything involving Michiru was.

But the look on Michiru's eyes, so full of lust, and something else, surprised her.

"I thought we were going for a car ride" she said, and gasped softly when the she felt a small hand making its way to her behind, caressing her right under the edge of her shorts.

"Going out for a car ride, or staying here with you... Hm, such a hard decision to make" Michiru teased.

Haruka smirked "Are you trying to seduce me?"

"Maybe" she kissed her neck "Is it working?" she breathed into Haruka's ear.

"Maybe" the blonde answered, closing her eyes, enjoying the aquamarine haired girl's kisses behind her ear.

She timidly allowed her hand to continue its way up, cupping Michiru's breast through the material of her summer dress, and loving the soft moan that reached her ears.

Michiru couldn't take it anymore. She wanted to feel the blonde's body closer to her own. She reached the edge of Haruka's sweatshirt and pulled it up, and a warm smile played on her lips when the blonde moved just enough for her to let the sweatshirt slide all the way up and off her body.

Haruka looked down at her, somewhat shyly, a light blushed decorating her cheeks, and Michiru reached up and pulled her down to her lips again, cupping the blonde's soft, naked breasts, and slowly started massaging them, her hands soon finding sensitive nipples and gently rubbing them, provoking a gasp from the blonde.

They rolled around, and Michiru positioned herself on top of Haruka, straddling her, and then making her way down from the girl's neck to her full breasts, kissing, sucking, licking her all the way. The blonde's breathing became somewhat erratic, and she cried out a moan when she felt Michiru's mouth on her nipple.

The girl was eagerly devouring her breasts, and Haruka was starting to moan louder and louder.

"Michi" she breathed, making the girl looked up at her with lustful eyes.

She grabbed the younger girl's waist, successfully getting their hips closer, before she sat up, Michiru still on top of her, and guided her own hands to the girl's dress. She pulled it off, looking at the aquamarine haired goddess' full breasts in complete fascination.

She cupped those soft, creamy breasts with both hands, and Michiru arched her back a little and closed her eyes. Haruka took the silent invitation, and took a full, perfect breast in her mouth, her tongue rubbing the erect nipple, while her other hand continued to stimulate the girl's other breast.

By instinct, Michiru started rocking her hips against Haruka's body, her hands going to grab soft blonde locks, while her breasts were being so deliciously tortured, and the most sweet throbbing between her legs started to grow.

Desperately needing those lips on her own, she cupped the girl's cheeks, bringing her up to savagely meet her mouth.

"I want you so much" she whispered on the blonde's mouth, before the two fell down on the sheets again, hands desperately going south, caressing each other through damp, warm underwear, and sending tremors over both their bodies.

Moaning, with pure desire running through their veins, they slowly made their underwear aside, caressing every inch of the other's legs, softly kissing and liking warm thighs.

Haruka gently pushed Michiru down on the mattress, and slowly, instinctively, she let her fingers move against her wet, soft clit, making Michiru moan loudly, closing her eyes and arching her back.

"Ruka, please..." Michiru said between short, hot breaths, moaning desperately, and rhythmically moving her hips against the blonde's fingers, begging, pleading for Haruka to enter her.

And at the pleading, desperate tone, Haruka let her finger slid into soft, hot, wet folds. She felt Michiru's tightness, enjoying the heavy groans coming from the girl under her and absolutely loving being the first inside her.

She gently started to thrust her finger, and went down to kiss her lips, and the ferocity of Michiru's kiss surprised her. And then she felt the girl's hand on her belly, shakily making it's way down, and she spread her legs to let the girl enter her, her own finger thrusting into Michiru's body.

Michiru copied the blonde's movements, finding the blonde already wet and ready, and she entered her with one finger, making Haruka cry out in pleasure, and loving the sound of her deep moans.

She found a little resistance, and she paused, hesitant, looking up at green eyes.

But when the blonde simply kissed her, ravishing her mouth, tongues dancing together at the same rhythm as Haruka's finger inside her, she started following that same slow pace with her own finger.

And they moved together in a slow, steady motion, following their bodies needs and desires, pleasuring each other.

But when they both started shaking slightly, their moans getting louder, their sweat bodies began to move faster, building each other up, until Michiru finally cried out in pure ecstasy, unconsciously trusting her finger deeper into Haruka, moving it desperately, and pressing the palm of her hand hard against her clit, making the blonde followed her soon after, in an explosion of white, pure pleasure at the force of their release.

Trembling slightly, Haruka collapsed into Michiru's body, the younger girl tightly hugging her close. They kissed softly, completely out of breath, and Haruka rested her head on the girl's neck.

And when she tried to rolled on her side and off Michiru, the younger girl held her tighter.

"I'm not letting you go" she softly told her.

"I'm not going anywhere" Haruka answered, kissing her jawline "There's no where else in the world I would rather be"

And at that, Michiru pushed the blonde to her back, her rolling on top, and kissed her hard on the mouth. Legs and arms wrapped around each other, she softly rocked her hips against Haruka's, gently biting on her lower lip, and successfully arousing her away.

"Good, 'cause I'm not done with you" she breathed, and smiled against the blonde's lips when she felt a hand gently starting to tease her inner thigh.

"I love you, Michi" Haruka whispered. The words just came to her mouth, and suddenly she knew what those feelings growing up inside her meant. "I love you so much".

Michiru looked into those green eyes, surprised at the naked honesty in the blonde's voice, and she could feel her own eyes getting wet with happy, emotional tears, her heart beating happily against her chest.

"I love you too, Ruka" she whispered back. "I'm so hopelessly in love with you" and then she lowered herself, sealing their love with a soft kiss that soon became passionate, and they both let themselves be taken away again.


	22. Unexpected meetings

And here they are! The missing characters!

And some unwanted ones.... hehe

Enjoy!

* * *

**22 - Unexpected meetings**

Like any other morning, Haruka woke up laying on her stomach, head resting on her pillow.

But _unlike_ any other morning, she could feel the morning breeze caressing her exposed back, reminding her she was completely naked. And there were soft locks caressing her shoulder.

And someone was currently using her bare shoulder and back as a pillow.

Eyes still closed, she smiled to herself at the feeling of a warm body pressed against hers, and the memories of a very long, _very_ passionate night came to her mind. She never thought Michiru could be that... insatiable.

There was not one single inch left of that body she hadn't explored or kissed last night, and the aquamarine haired girl had eagerly returned the gesture. And Haruka had found herself becoming hopelessly addicted to the little vixen goddess now sleeping next to her.

A soft sigh reached her ears, tickling her, and she turned to her side, as the young girl besides her snuggled closer to her and deeper into the sheets, face hidden at the blonde's neck.

"Morning" came Michiru's muffled voice.

"Morning" she answered, smiling down at her, one hand mindlessly caressing the soft white skin on the girl's back.

They just laid on the bed, holding each other, sweet kisses falling down on cheeks, noses, necks and lips, hands softly caressing naked warm skin.

Until Michiru felt Haruka raising her head and sniffling the air, her stomach reminding her that she had been awake and... _exercising_... most of the night, and that she was starving.

"I guess Makoto's already up" Michiru said, chuckling at the blonde's actions.

"Oh yeah" Haruka answered her, grinning "And she's making pancakes!"

----

Three hours later, Michiru was outside the tracks, standing next to Haruka's car, waiting for her tall, sexy, favorite blonde, dressed on a light yellow tank top, and white linen pants. Hair up in a messy bun, curls falling here and there over her shoulders. Sunglasses were covering her eyes from the already strong sun. _Borrowed_ sunglasses.

Michiru smiled to herself. She had taken Haruka's sunglasses right out of the blonde's face, before she ran inside the tracks to deal with some mechanics.

Memories came flying to her mind again, and she remembered the blonde's cute blushed face when Michiru had taken her sweatshirt off and looked at those beautiful, heavenly perfect breasts of hers for the first time.

_Who would of thought Haruka could be shy_, she wondered to herself. She smiled at the memory, and then deeply blushed as the memories continued to dance in her mind's eye. _God! I'm so in love with her!_

"Michiru?" a voice called behind her, taking her out of her sweet, heated memories.

She turned around, and came face to face with a beautiful young girl.

Dark, almost violet eyes, with long black eyelashes, perfect cheekbones and full velvet lips. Long raven hair falling down to her waist, dancing in the warm summer breeze. She was wearing a red shirt tied in a knot right below her full breasts, a white tight t-shirt underneath, dark jean shorts, showing off her long legs, and low heel sandals on her feet.

"Is that you?" the girl asked again.

"Rei?" Michiru asked, just as surprised as the girl in front of her "Oh my God, Rei!" she exclaimed, jumping towards the raven haired girl and hugging her "I'm so happy to see you!"

"Me too!" Rei agreed, returning the hug "My God, it's been forever since I last saw you!"

"Yes, I know! Last time I saw you was right before you moved out to live with your dad" Michiru said, resting again against the car, and looking at the girl beside her.

"Oh, don't remind me... The guy's a nightmare!" she exclaimed "He just wants a trophy daughter... it's disgusting!" Rei exclaimed "How long has it been? Two years? God, I've missed you!" she said, hugging her again "That man's been driving me nuts, and there was no one to talk me out of killing him in his sleep!"

"So did you kill him yet?" Michiru asked, smiling at her old friend.

"Nah, I just left!" she answered "I'm living with my grandpa now. You know, at the temple?" when she saw her friend nodding, she continued her tale "And then I met this cute funny guy, he's actually in a rock band, isn't it cool? And he..."

"Wait! Hold on a minute!" Michiru interrupted her "You're dating a guy?"

Rei blushed, but nodded her head "Um... yeah..."

"Since when?" she asked, surprised.

"Well, it's been four months yesterday" the raven haired girl said, smiling shyly "I don't know, Michiru, there's just something about him... he's really sweet, and funny, and understanding. He doesn't get scared over my little tantrums..."

"Well that's a huge one, I like him already!" Michiru joked, and when the girl just slapped her arm, she just laughed.

"It's like I've known him my entire life. And I feel so complete around him. I know it sounds stupid, but it's like he's that other half of me, you know? Like we're meant for each other" the girl finished, with a dreamy expression upon her pretty face.

Michiru thought about the tall blonde somewhere on the tracks, and smiled.

"Yes, I know what you mean" she answered "So does he have a name or should I just call him 'Rei's rock star hottie'?"

"Hey! I'm the only one allowed to call him that!" Rei said, smiling "His name's Jadeite. I'm actually here with him. His band's playing at some bar down the beach for the summer, so we rented a house down there. The guys are out practicing most of the day, so I just play tourist with a friend of mine. She's here, somewhere..." she explained, turning and looking around, looking for said friend "There she is! Hey, Ami, drop that stupid book and come here, would you? I want you to meet someone" she yelled.

Michiru followed her friend's yelling direction, and her eyes went wide open.

There, with her nose stuck in a book, was a young, thin girl with short blue hair, wearing a light blue summer dress.

She looked up at Rei's calling, and at the distance Michiru couldn't see her face, but she knew the girl had beautiful big blue eyes that would always shine when she smiled. Or when she would be reading a book, which was of course most of the time.

"Ami?" Michiru asked "Oh, God, Ami!" she exclaimed, running towards the girl.

Rei blinked surprised, but soon followed her.

The short blue haired girl looked up at the girl running towards her, and a big wide smile came to her soft lips, going to hug the girl.

"Michiru!" she exclaimed "It's so great to see you! What are you doing here?"

"I live here!" she answered, looking into the girl's face. "God, Ami! I haven't seen you in years!"

"You two know each other?" Rei asked surprised.

-----

Meanwhile, inside the tracks, Haruka had just finished talking to the short young man in charge of making sure her race car would be in perfect conditions by next Saturday.

So, with a small satisfied smile on her face, she was making her way out of the tracks and to the beautiful aquamarine haired girl waiting for her outside.

Her smile got bigger when she thought of her, looking so incredibly cute with Haruka's sunglasses on that pretty little face of hers. She was so completely, helplessly and utterly in love with that girl, it seemed like a dream.

And she loved her back! Haruka was actually surprised at that one. _When did I became so lucky?_, she asked herself.

"Well look what I have here! The almighty Haruka Tenoh, in the flesh!" a female voice came from somewhere behind her.

A voice that had hunted her for months, so long ago. A voice she thought she would never hear again.

Slowly, Haruka turned her head around, searching for the voice's owner.

And there she was. In the middle of the hallway, swinging her hips in a sexy way while walking towards the tall blonde. Long, wavy blue hair, deep purple eyes, full red lips. A red summer dress was tightly hugging her perfect body. Red high heeled stilettos clicking on the floor.

"And you still look so hot you make my knees go weak" she said, coming closer to the frozen blonde "And my panties wet" she whispered on Haruka's ear.

Haruka jerked away, and looked at the girl standing in front of her.

"Kiho" she called her, her voice calmed but cold, and somewhat distant "What are you doing here?"

"I came back for you" she answered her "I just missed you so much" she went to hug the blonde, but Haruka stepped away. "What's wrong, baby? It's been so long..."

"Exactly, it's been too long" she told her "I'm not your baby anymore"

"I know I hurt you, babe, and I'm so sorry" Kiho said, a hand going up to take blonde locks out of green eyes "But I'm sure we can work something..."

Haruka took Kiho's hand, stopping it in mid air, and looked at her with a serious expression on her face.

"It's over, Kiho. It's been over for years. So just move on, and leave me alone" she told her, walking past her and towards the exit.

"You can't expect me to just disappear out of you life like that!" Kiho exclaimed behind her.

"You sure made it look easy the first time around" Haruka answered, still walking, but then she tilted her head and looked back at her "It shouldn't be too hard to do it again"

And with that, she walked out of the place, leaving the blue haired woman standing there.

"I'll get you again, Haruka" she whispered after the blonde's retreating form "Just wait and see. You'll be mine again"


	23. Twisted truth

**23 - Twisted truth**

When Haruka walked out of the tracks and into the hot summer sun, the unexpected, unpleasant meeting with Kiho was out of her mind the second her eyes found an aquamarine haired girl, still wearing her sunglasses.

Their eyes met, and Michiru smiled at her, waiving her hand to the two girls she had been talking to.

"Finally!" Michiru exclaimed, hugging her "I've missed you! What took you so long?"

"Some car issues, nothing for you to worry your pretty little head about" she answered her, kissing her forehead "Missed you too" she said, looking down and into those blue eyes she loved so much.

"Who were those girls you were just talking to?" Haruka asked, making their way towards her car.

Michiru grinned at her "What? Jealous?" she joked.

"Maybe" the blonde answered, opening the door for her.

"Well don't. You're my one and only favorite girl" Michiru said, hugging the blonde and kissing her jaw.

Haruka smiled at that "Good to know" she said, before putting a soft kiss on the girl's lips.

They got in the car, and Haruka started the engine, soon making their way to find some nice dinner so they could have lunch. Michiru turned in her sit towards the blonde, a happy smile on her face.

"They are old friends of mine" she explained "Actually, one is my friend, the one with the long raven hair?" when she saw Haruka nodding, she continued "The other one is actually my cousin, Ami. She hasn't change one bit, she still gets her nose deep into thick boring books all the time. I think she's more comfortable on a library than on any other public place"

"You look happy" Haruka said, noticing the smile on Michiru's face while she talked about her friends.

"I am! I haven't seen them in years!" Michiru answered her "I never knew they were friends though" she said, in a wondering tone.

They reached the dinner and got out of the car and into the small but rather nice place. They found an empty table at the back, and sat down there, facing each other. A petite thin girl that couldn't be older than sixteen, came for their orders.

"Hey, you're Michiru Kaioh!" she exclaimed, looking down at said girl with stars in her eyes "You're like, so great and cool! I totally adore your music and I so want to be like you!" the girl said in one breath with an excited voice.

"Thank you" Michiru said, somewhat embarrassed.

And of course, Haruka's amused smile wasn't helping _at all_. "You play the violin too?"

"I try, but I'm so not good at it yet!" the girl answered "Gee, I can't wait to tell my sister about this! She's gonna be so jealous!" she exclaimed. Then she calmed down a little, and look at the blonde sitting in front of the violinist "Nice to see you again, Haruka. I'll be right up with your food, so sit tight!"

And with that, the happy bouncing waitress disappeared, leaving the two girls smiling after her.

"Looks like you'll have your own little fan club in no time" Haruka said, smiling at her.

"Looks like it. She seems nice" Michiru answered her, returning the smile and resting her forearms on the table.

"Yeah, she is" the blonde agreed "A little crazy, maybe, but since she's only fifteen, I guess it's just normal behavior" she joked.

Their food arrived in no time, and they started eating in a comfortable silence, looking into each others eyes and smiling now and then, enjoying each other's company.

When Haruka finished her food, she took a sip of her soda, and then rest her back against the chair, yawning.

"Tired?" Michiru asked her, smiling at the blonde.

"Well, I didn't really spent that much time in Elysion last night, because someone kept me up most of the time" she answered, winking at her "So yeah, I'm a little tired"

Michiru blushed at Haruka's words, but answered non the less.

"I believe I already told you before it's not really my fault if you're just too tempting and simply _delicious_"

A victory smiled came to her lips when it was Haruka's turn to deeply blush at her at the word 'delicious' as she whispered it deliberately and sensually slow.

"It's not like I can help it, guess it's just part of my charm" the blonde mumbled softly.

"And I wouldn't have it any other way" the younger girl said to her, one hand coming up the table to take Haruka's, thumbs slowly caressing the soft skin.

Haruka lifted her hand, taking Michiru's with it, and caressed the girl's cheek lovingly. And smiled warmly when Michiru tilted her head slightly and towards the blonde's hand, looking at her with blue eyes full of love.

They left the dinner soon after, and Haruka dropped Michiru off at Makoto and Setsuna's little shop, since the aquamarine haired girl had promised them she'll go and help them out in the afternoon.

Haruka wanted to stay with Michiru, but the girl reminded her that she would only get bored and then she would probably start picking fights with Makoto –Haruka had to laugh at that- and that she needed to go and look for some new parts for her car anyway.

"I'll see you at home then" Haruka said, pouting cutely.

Michiru giggled "I'll see you then" she said back, and then kissed the blonde's lips, softly at first, but when Haruka opened her mouth for her, Michiru gladly deepened the kiss.

She got out of the car, and when the blonde finally took off, she turned around, making her way to the shop, where her friends were surely waiting for her already.

"So you must be Haruka's new friend" a female voice said behind her, making her turned around "I've heard so much about you! Was that Haruka?" asked the blue haired girl with a red tight summer dress, smiling at her and pointing at the direction the blonde's car had just disappeared into "She's always been such a fast driver! I wanted to see her... Oh well, I'll go and visit her later I guess"

"Do I know you?" Michiru asked, frowning.

"Oh, Gosh, I'm sorry, where are my manners!" the girl exclaimed, and smiled at her. _Haruka's mine, bitch, so fuck off_, she thought to herself. She was willing to do anything to have the blonde back. And it's not like she was lying, she was simply twisting the truth a little. And so, she said to the younger girl "I'm Kiho, Haruka's girlfriend"


	24. Trouble in paradise

**24 - Trouble in paradise**

When Haruka finally arrived to the house, after spending an entire hour searching for all the things she needed in order to get her baby in shape, she threw her keys on the table next to the door, and started to make her way to her bedroom.

She wanted to take a nice refreshing shower, and then maybe get some rest.

But on her way to the stairs, she ran into a somewhat angry Setsuna, who by all means seemed to be trying to make a big hole into the living room floor. But when the tall dark green haired woman spotted her, she stopped in her tracks, hands on her hips, and walked up to her.

"What did you do, you stupid blonde?" she demanded.

Haruka blinked at her, and frowned. "What are you talking about? What did I do this time?"

"You know damn well what I'm talking about!" she exclaimed, raising her hands in the air "What the hell did you do to Michiru?"

"What are you talking about?" the blonde asked, now worried.

"She left, you idiot!" Setsuna yelled at her "She was heartbroken and crying, and then she just left!"

"What?" the tall woman asked, surprised, and found it was hard to breath all of a sudden "What do you mean she left? Why was she..."

"You heard me, she left. She came into the shop looking like a complete mess, said she would come for her stuff 'sometime', and then she just left!" Setsuna explained, incredibly mad at her cousin.

Haruka just stood there, looking at the other woman is if she had grown a second head. She vaguely registered her heart beating on her ears, slowly and heavily. She desperately looked into her cousin's eyes, praying, hoping she was playing a joke on her.

A very bad, mean joke.

"I... I have no idea..." Haruka stuttered, her body feeling cold and empty all of a sudden.

_She left? Why? Everything was going so well... _she said to herself, but when Setsuna's look changed from an angry one, to a really confused one, she realized she had said it out loud.

"So you two didn't get into a fight?" the dark green haired woman asked her "But I don't understand, something must of happened..."

The blonde shook her head "Where did she go?" she asked, her voice low and trembling.

"I don't know, she just..."

"I have to go find her" Haruka interrupted her cousin before she could finished her sentence, and then just walked out of the door.

She started walking down the street, not really following any direction in particular. The only thing she could think of was that she needed to find Michiru, and find out what the hell had happened to make her cry and leave like that.

_God, Michi, where did you go? What happened?_ _What went wrong and made you leave me like that? God, please, help me find her!_, she mentally prayed, _Don't take her away from me, please... I need her. I love her, damn it! Don't leave me, please, please don't... Not you..._

She felt like falling to the floor and start crying right then and there.

But she forced herself to just keep walking. She had to find her. She just had to! She needed to find her, and make whatever it went wrong right again. She needed her in her arms again, and kiss her, and tell her how much she loved her, how much she needed her...

"Hello there, again"

Haruka looked up, surprised, and blinked at the young blue haired woman standing in front of her, smiling at her.

"What do you want now, Kiho?" she asked, sounding anything but polite. But she didn't care, she didn't have time for this "I'm busy right now, so please just..."

"What?" the other girl asked, taking the blonde's arm in her hand and stopping her from going anywhere "You going home to that little whore of yours?"

Haruka blinked at that, and she could swear she heard a little 'click' in her mind.

"Don't worry, babe, I don't think she'll be there anymo..."

"What the hell did you do to her?" Haruka demanded, grabbing the girl's arm in a strong grip, suddenly understanding everything.

Somehow, she didn't know how, but somehow, Kiho had found out about Michiru and her, and she had done something to the young aquamarine haired girl. And she was going to find out exactly what, and then she was going to make damn sure that stupid bitch stayed out of her life.

For good, this time.

"I didn't do anything, sweetheart" she answered her, smiling lovingly and raising a hand to caress the blonde's cheek.

But Haruka slapped her hand away, and shook her arm "What did you do, Kiho?"

"I just told her the truth, babe..."

"Stop calling me that!" she yelled, loosing her patience with the girl. She didn't even care they were standing in the middle of the street. She was this close to strangle the damn girl.

"I told her the truth about us, alright?" Kiho yelled back.

"There's no fucking 'us'!" Haruka practically screamed at her. "Stop lying and tell me the truth before I lose the little patience I have left"

"I already told you the truth! What do you mean there's no 'us'? Of course there is! Baby, we were made for each other" the girl said, softening her voice.

"Jesuschrist, what is _wrong_ with you, woman!" she exclaimed, her hands going to her head, hands grabbing blonde short locks "We're _over_, Kiho! You made that pretty clear when you left! Remember?"

"But I came back for you!" Kiho answered "And I didn't came back to this fucking town just for you to cheat on me with that stupid..."

"I'm not cheating on you!" Haruka yelled again, now completely losing it "We're not together anymore! And you came back, alright, but you came back three years too fucking late! So just back off, and stay the fuck away from me!"

She turned around to leave, before she could actually jump into the girl and knock the life out of her. How could she say things like that? How could she come back into her life only to fucked it up all over again?

"Don't you dare walk away from me, Haruka Tenoh!" Kiho yelled after her.

Haruka stopped, and slowly turned back around, facing the blue haired girl. She walked the few steps separating the two, and stopped inches away from her.

Green eyes now dark with hate, and such a deep dangerous fire in them, that Kiho gulped.

"If you ever come near me, or Michiru, ever again, I swear on my father's grave I'll kill you with my own hands" she told her, her deep voice full of hate and deadly serious "And you know damn well I always keep my promises"


	25. A shoulder to cry on

**25 - A shoulder to cry on**

A young girl was sitting on a kitchen table, a cup of ice tea in front of her, a book in her hands.

Her short blue hair was clipped back so it wouldn't fall into her blue eyes. She was so concentrated in her reading, that when she heard a loud noise right next to her, she actually jumped up in her chair.

"Jesus, Rei!" she exclaimed "Stop scaring me like that!"

"Gee, sorry!" the other girl said, not sorry at all "But I called you twice and you just wouldn't answer! Is that book of yours actually that interesting?"

"Yes, it is. And reading is a lovely way to learn new stuff" she told her, taking a sip from her ice tea "You should really try it sometime, instead of just playing around naked with Jadeite all night and then sleeping through the whole day"

Rei blinked at her friend's words –who would of thought little innocent Ami would ever say such a thing?-, completely surprised.

"And what exactly do _you_ do with dear Zoicite, all night long, hm?" she asked, returning the lovely comment right back at her friend.

Ami blushed the most adorable shade of red, and was just about to answer something -most probably a big fat lie, like 'we talk' or something the like-, but a knock on the door got in the way of her answer.

Rei frowned, wondering who could be at their door. She knew the guys were at the bar, getting ready for their show tonight, and they all had a key anyway. And they didn't really knew anyone in town who would just come and pay them a visit.

But when she opened the front door and a flash of aquamarine hair got her eye, she remembered her dear old friend, and that she had actually given her their address.

"Michiru, what are..." she stopped and gasped when her friend looked up at her with red tearful eyes, her cheeks completely wet, and trembling lips "What happened?" she asked, worried, and taking the girl in her arms.

"Oh, Rei!" Michiru exclaimed in a broken tone of voice, hugging her tightly and crying harder "I didn't know ... where to go... God! I can't believe this!" she was babbling between hiccups.

Rei managed to get the crying girl inside, where Ami was fast to go by her cousin's side, holding her, while the raven haired girl went to grab a glass of water for her.

"Sweetie, what happened?" Ami asked softly, caressing the broken girl's hair.

"Haruka..." she whispered, tears running down her face.

"Your girlfriend?" Rei inquired "but I thought you told us everything was going great between you two..."

"It was!" Michiru exclaimed "I really thought it was... but she just... she lied to me. She told me... she said she loved me, and she lied"

Rei and Ami exchanged worried glances, not really knowing what to say, and not quite understanding what the crying girl was talking about. She had seemed so happy, so radiant, just earlier that day.

"Honey, I don't understand" Rei said, taking her hands and making the girl look her in the eyes "What do you mean she lied?"

"She has a girlfriend" was Michiru's whispered answered, before she started to desperately cry again.

----

"Oh, Gosh, I'm sorry, where are my manners! I'm Kiho, Haruka's girlfriend" the girl standing in front of her said.

Michiru blinked, thinking that she had heard wrong "I'm sorry, what?"

"I'm Haruka's girlfriend" Kiho said again "You did know she's... you know... "

"Yes, of course I know" Michiru interrupted, her hands starting to tremble at her side.

"Oh, God, what a relief!" the girl exclaimed, a hand on her chest "For a moment there I thought you didn't know! Haruka would kill me! She's such a private person, you know?"

Michiru shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts "I'm sorry, you said you're her... girlfriend?"

"Oh, yeah. She's just so amazing, best girlfriend ever" a dreamy expression on her face "We've been together since high school, right before her dad died. And we've been inseparable ever since! I had to leave town for a little while, for a family thing, you know that kind of stuff, you just can't get out of those!"

The girl kept happily talking, and Michiru felt as if she was somewhere far away, listening to a distant murmur.

Haruka already had a girlfriend? How? How was that even possible? She never said anything! And they had made love last night! And Michiru had actually thought that it had been the blonde's first time...

_She said she loved me_, she thought, feeling tears already coming to her eyes, while her heart broke into a million tiny peaces. _She lied to me? Why? To get me into bed?_

She couldn't believe it. She didn't want to. But the blue haired girl in front of her was a living, breathing proof.

_She's pretty_, Michiru thought, _no wonder Haruka would... I'm nothing compared to her... so it didn't mean anything? I was just another score?_

"And well, I wanted to surprise her" the girl was still talking "But I guess I'll just go to her place, then" then she looked down to the aquamarine haired girl, and frowned "Are you alright?"

"Huh?" Michiru looked up at the girl again, as if just remembering she was there.

"You look pale, are you feeling ok?" Kiho asked again "Can I get you anything...?"

Michiru shook her head furiously, desperately trying to keep her tears from falling down her cheeks "No, I'm fine. I... I have to go... I um... I'll see you... bye"

And with that, the young girl walked away from the blue haired girl, and into the shop she was meaning to go into in the first place.

She saw a tall, dark green haired woman standing next to a table, talking to some costumer, and then look up at her and smile.

And right then, she just couldn't keep it in anymore. Her body started shaking uncontrollably, tears falling down.

Setsuna was by her side in less than a second "Sweetie, what's wrong? Why are you crying?"

But Michiru had lost her voice, and just stood there, shaking, crying, and desperately wanting to disappear from the face of the earth. She felt like she was dead inside already.

"Michiru, what is it?" Setsuna insisted "Where's Haruka?"

Upon hearing the name, Michiru looked up at her friend, and made up her mind.

She needed to get out of that place, out of that house. And away from that blonde, bloody liar woman.

"I'm sorry, Sets" she started "I... I have to go... somewhere. I'll go by the house and um.. and I'll get my stuff sometime, ok?"

"What? Why?" Setsuna wanted to know "What happened?"

"I'm sorry, I just... I have to get out of here!" she exclaimed.

And with that, she ran out and away.

------

She cried desperately into her friend's chest, her heart broken, and feeling completely lost.

Rei tightened her arms around her, and looked up at Ami, concerned.

"She lied... Oh, God, she lied...." Michiru was babbling "And I... I just... how could I be so damn stupid!"

"It's ok, sweetie" Ami whispered to her softly, trying to comfort her "I'm sure there's an explanation..."

"No, it's not ok!" Michiru exclaimed "It's not fucking ok! How can you say that? And there's nothing to explain! I gave her everything, and she just... lied! Right to my face!" she yelled.

She couldn't help it, she was so lost, so broken.

"I fell in love with a freaking liar! And she just... I just thought that... that she really cared.... But she doesn't give a damn!"


	26. Face to face

Dear Lord! This was the hardest chap to write! EVER! It broke my heart... (tear rolling down). I'm exhausted!

Again, thank you all for your wonderful reviews! Enjoy!

---------

**26 - Face to face**

She was sitting down on the sand, eyes closed, trying to get away from her own thoughts, from her own memories.

It was pure torture.

The past two days had been the worst days of her entire life. She had never, ever, felt so lost, so alone.

Not once.

Not even after her father died.

_Where are you?_ she wondered. _I looked everywhere... I miss you so much..._

It's been two days since Michiru had run away. She had spent those two days searching everywhere she could think of, upside down and inside out.

But Michiru was nowhere to be found.

And then she would spend the nights sitting on the front door, waiting. Helplessly waiting for the aquamarine haired girl to come back to her.

But Michiru didn't come back the first night. Or the next after that. She just simply... disappeared.

What was she thinking? What was going through her mind right now? Was she alright? Was she hurt? Did she miss her, at all?

She couldn't stop thinking about her. She simply couldn't.

She opened her green eyes and looked up at the darkening sky above her. _Michi... where are you?_

A sad, broken sigh escaped her lips, and she got up, willing herself to just go back home. She was getting nowhere near finding the girl by just sitting there. So she turned around to make her way to her parked car, and that's when she saw her.

It was like a vision from a dream.

The girl was walking down the beach, a light blue shirt hugging her upper body, a white long skirt dancing with the sea's cold breeze. Her bear feet were splashing the water from the shore here and there, her head was down, staring at her own movements.

And she looked so incredible beautiful.

And so completely lost.

Haruka ran up to her, wanting to throw herself into the girl's arms and kiss her deeply, telling her she loved her, telling her she needed her. Telling her she couldn't stand another second away from her.

But when Michiru's face came up and she noticed the blonde girl running towards her, her deep blue eyes went wide open, and she paled.

And then she turned around, running away from the blonde.

"Michiru, wait!" the blonde called after her.

But Haruka was faster. She reached up to the girl, and stopped her by grabbing her arm as gently as she could, and made her turned around again and faced her.

"What do you want?" Michiru asked, not looking at her.

"I've been looking for you everywhere" she answered, somewhat out of breath, not knowing if it was for the run, or because of the way Michiru had just spoke to her.

"Well you found me. Congratulations" the girl said, now looking up at her, her blue eyes ice cold "What do you want, Tenoh?"

Haruka gasped, taken aback.

"I want to talk to you... Michi, please..."

"There's nothing to talk about, Tenoh" the young girl interrupted her "So just, leave me alone"

When she started walking away again, Haruka took her arms again, stopping her.

"Wait! Just, please, wait. Hear me out" she pleaded.

"I don't want to!" Michiru exclaimed "I don't want to see you again! Don't you get that?"

"Michi, please!" she begged, desperate "Listen to me, there's been a mistake..."

"I know that, alright! You were the mistake, Tenoh!" she interrupted her again "You were the biggest mistake I have ever made!"

It hurt.

It truly, deeply hurt her to hear those words. Like ten thousand knifes being stuck into her already bleeding heart.

"You... you don't mean that..." she whispered, tears filling her green eyes.

"Yes, I do! I hate you, Haruka!" she yelled, and her blue eyes were now full of tears, running hopelessly down her cheeks.

And she hated herself for being vulnerable in front of her "How could you? People are not toys for you to play with!"

"I know that! I wasn't playing!" she started to cry now too. She had to tell her something, anything, to make her believe her. She wasn't lying. She wasn't playing any games. She loved her! And she needed her back, so badly. "I swear, Michi, I love you..."

"God damn it, Haruka! Stop lying!" she was practically screaming now "I don't want to hear it! I don't fucking care!"

She turned around to leave again, and Haruka simply fell down to her knees, desperately crying, heartbroken.

"Please, don't walk away...." she begged, her voice a trembling whisper.

Michiru stopped in her tracks, and turned around the face the blonde woman, looking down at her. Tears were still in her eyes, but her face was deadly cold.

"You don't have the right to tell me not to walk away. You don't have the right to even speak to me in the first place! I don't want to see you. I don't want to ever come anywhere near you again, do you hear me?" she was shaking, and her own words were killing her already broken heart.

But she didn't care. She simply didn't care anymore.

"You don't understand, it's not what you think...."

"Drop the act, it's rather pathetic" she said, in a lower tone now "Don't worry, I'll be at the stupid recital this tuesday. We'll play the freaking song you picked, and then I don't want to see you or have anything to do with you, ever again."

Haruka just looked up at her, forcing herself to breath, her hands sinking on the sand below. Her heartbeat a long forgotten and distant sound in her ears.

She searched her blue eyes, trying to find something, anything, that would give her at least the tiniest hope. But there was nothing in Michiru's eyes.

They were just cold, indifferent.

"Goodbye, Tenoh" she heard her said, and then Haruka just stood where she was, frozen in place, hopelessly watching Michiru walking away from her.

She simply couldn't do anything, but stared after her, with hot tears rolling down her face.

The one girl she had ever truly loved was walking away from her. And there was nothing she could do to stop her.


	27. Just let it out

**27 - Just let it out**

She stretched her legs, looking down at the waves crushing right next to her. Her white cotton short was doing absolutely nothing for her legs as the cold morning breeze met her skin.

At least she was wearing a long sleeved t-shirt.

"Could you please say something?" her brother's voice got her attention.

"Like what?" she asked, frowning, and stretching up again, arms going up above her head.

"I don't know, anything!" Mamoru exclaimed "It's like you've been on automatic pilot or something..."

"I don't know what you're talking about" Haruka was fast to answered him "Let's go, or we'll be late for breakfast"

And with that, the tall blonde started jogging away down the beach.

She heard her brother's steps right behind here, but she didn't stopped. She simply kept going. Just like she's been doing for the last three days. Actually, pretty much like she's been doing for the last week. Ever since Michiru had walked away from her.

Only up until three days ago, she still had some hope. But now there was just nothing left.

And so, she just kept going. It didn't really matter anymore where to, as long as she was moving. It was her way to convince herself she was still alive.

And she certainly needed the convincing process. Because she felt like she was dead inside, somewhere in between the world of the living, and the world of the dead. Only her body wasn't quite catching up to that part.

So, she guessed she was somehow still alive. And in order to feel that, to feel anything at all, she kept running. If she ran fast enough, and hard enough, and just far enough, she would get tired and out of breath.

And it was such a real, true feeling, she embraced it. It was the only way she knew how to make her body caught up with the rest of her.

Or at least to whatever there was left...

If there actually was anything left anymore.

She often wondered that.

Because she knew, deep down inside she simply _knew_, that a certain aquamarine haired, young, beautiful angel had come down from Heaven and touched her life for a little while, to then simply flew away, leaving her all alone again, taking everything and anything away with her.

Michiru hated her. She had said so herself.

Loud and clear, Haruka had heard those words coming out of the girl's mouth. The same words that now hunted her dreams, her days. Her life. And then she had simply walked away.

Just like everyone else has done before here. Just like she had feared the young girl would do once she truly got to know the tall, seemingly strong blonde.

She felt something wet on her cheek, and her hand went up to touch her face.

_Am I crying?_, she asked herself, amazed.

She could of swore she had no tears left. How could she, if she was already empty and dead inside? And suddenly she found it was hard to breath, and her lungs were too small to allowed any air.

And then she fell down on her knees, hands hitting the sand below hard. She couldn't go on anymore. She couldn't make herself move.

She couldn't breath!

She was drowning, chocking. She felt as if her body had finally decided to shot down on her, letting her die, at last. Hot, wet tears running down her face, making her cold against the morning breeze.

"Haruka" she heard someone calling her. And then strong arms were around her. A soft hand caressing her short blonde hair, another one keeping her close to a strong, warm body that was gently rocking her.

"I can't..." she gasped "I just... I can't breathe...." she was crying. Desperately crying. And she was just so... lost.

"It's ok, just let it out" Mamoru told her, his voice a soft murmur in her ear.

"I can't!" she exclaimed "She hates me! God... she hates me so much..."

"No, she doesn't. She's just confused..." he tried to comforted her.

"You're not listening!" Haruka interrupted him, and Mamoru understood that his sister needed to let her feelings out somehow, and crying was simply not helping her. "She hates me, don't you understand? She told me... she hates me... And then she just... walked away... Just like everyone else! God, what is _wrong_ with me?" she yelled.

"Nothing! Nothing's wrong with you!" Mamoru told her, making her look up at him.

"Then why?" she cried out, in a desperate voice "Tell me, 'cause I don't understand why everyone keeps walking away from me!"

Mamoru looked at her, deeply concerned, and when she threw herself into his arms again, he just held her there, trying somehow to calm the crying girl in his arms, but not really knowing what to do.

"That's not true..." he tried to say.

He had never seen her like this before. Not when her father died. Not even after Kiho.

He had never seen his sister so broken.

"Yes it is! You know it is!" she exclaimed, voice muffled, interrupting him. Her body was shaking uncontrollably "She told me she loved me! And then she just left me! How could she love me and then leave like that? She didn't even listen to me! I love her!" she yelled "I love her! And I need her, and I miss her so much, it's killing me!"

"I know, I know" he murmured, his own heart breaking over her sister's words and her heartbreaking, desperate tears.

"Just take it away" she begged, her hand going to her chest, above her broken heart "Make it go away, please... make it stop..."

"I wish I could, Haru" Mamoru told her "You have no idea how much I wish I could take this pain away from you"

"Please..." she cried into his t-shirt, already wet with her own unstoppable tears "Please just... tell me what to do. Tell me how to... God, I hate this! Tell me what the hell is so wrong with me that everyone just... hates me, and then leave me? Why am I so goddamn worthless?"

"Look at me" he asked, but when the girl didn't move, he gently took her face in his hands, making her look him in the eyes "Nothing's wrong with you! You are an amazing woman, do you hear me?"

Haruka tried to look down, shaking her head. But he wouldn't let her, so she just looked to the side, her tears blurring the world around her.

"Haruka, look at me" he asked again, and patiently waited until she did so.

His eyes went incredibly soft on her, his voice sweet and tender, but completely serious.

"You know I would never lie to you. Ever. You know that, right?" she nodded, sniffing "I love you" she cried harder at that "You are the most amazing, wonderful woman I have ever met. And you are the most adorable, loving sister anyone could ever asked for. And I love you for that, for who you really are. And anyone who can't see how wonderful you truly are doesn't deserve you, and is just bloody blind!" he exclaimed.

"But I love her" she whispered "I love her so much..."

"I know you do" he whispered back "And I know she loves you just as much. I've seen the way she looks at you. No one can fake that" he softly caressed her wet cheeks, making her keep her green teary eyes on his "Just give her sometime. She's confused, and hurt, but I know she loves you. I mean, really, what's there not to love about you?" he asked her, and then softly grinned "Besides maybe your weird obsession over pancakes" he joked.

She slapped his arm, and he chuckled softly.

"Asshole" she murmured, but softly smiled anyway.

"Just... give her some space, and she'll come back to you" he said, again with a serious, but loving look upon his handsome face "In the meantime, I'm here for you, ok?"

She sniffled, and nodded her head, the tears slowly coming down her face, but a little calmer now "Ok" she said, and then hiccuped.

Mamoru smiled at her.

"Now let's go home. I'm freezing my ass off, and I'm starving"

She giggled at his words, still hiccuping, unconsciously making herself looked like a little girl, and making Mamoru smiled proudly and lovingly at her. Then she nodded her head again, and she let him helped her up on her feet, gently guiding her back home.


	28. The truth comes out

**28 - The truth comes out**

Makoto was chewing the tip of the pen she had in her hand, frowning, and staring at the crossword puzzle she had in her other hand, while sitting on the kitchen table.

She couldn't understand, for the life of her, how Setsuna was ever able to figured those damn things out so easily.

Or maybe it wasn't her. Maybe it was the simple little tiny fact that she couldn't quite concentrate on anything.

She was just so worried, and she had absolutely no clue as of what to do. She had seen Haruka's red puffy eyes when she and Mamoru had come home from their jog two days ago. And ever since then the blonde seemed to be in some kind of painful trance.

It was actually worst than when she had been acting like a robot a few days before.

_I wish I could do something_, she said to herself, _She looks just so... _

A knock coming from the front door interrupted her thoughts.

She looked down at the impossible crossword puzzle still in her hands, let out a frustrated breath at the damn thing and just threw it across the table, before getting up and to the front door.

_Stupid puzzles, and stupid Setsuna, making me stay home to wait for..._

And she froze. Right there, standing on her doorway and looking at her with a somewhat fearful look upon her face, nervously hugging herself, was the girl she was just thinking about

"Michiru" she called, surprised to no ends "You... you came"

"Hi. Um.. yeah, I um..." she was nervous. But she took a deep breath and looked up at the tall brunette "I came for my stuff. Can I come in?"

Makoto opened the rest of the door for her, and let her in. She saw her wondering her eyes around, still hugging herself, and she smiled sadly at her.

"She's not here" she said.

"What?" Michiru asked, turning around and facing her.

"Haruka" she explained "She's not here"

"Oh" she said "Good. It's better this way"

"Don't be like that..."

"Look, Makoto, I know she's your cousin, and I know you'll try to talk on her behalf" she interrupted her "But just... drop it, ok? Just don't"

Makoto blinked at her, surprised at the younger girl.

And then she just got angry. No wonder Haruka liked this girl! They were both so freaking stubborn, they were actually perfect for each other!

She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, counted to ten, and then looked at the girl again.

"Look, I like you" she started "You're a nice girl, really, you are. But right now you are the reason my stupid cousin is a complete mess, walking around as if she's some kind of freaking zombie!"

Michiru started making her way towards the stairs, making her point of not wanting to listen to the brunette as clear as water.

But the tall girl was nowhere near letting her go. So Makoto simply grabbed her by the arms, and made her turned around to her again.

"I'm not finished!" she exclaimed "Like I was saying, you're the reason she's heartbroken and lost. And I'm willing to bet my life on you being pretty much the same. So that means that you're not just hurting Haruka, but you're also hurting yourself. And tell me, honestly, just how stupid is that?"

"Let me go, Makoto, I told you I don't want to hear..."

"I don't care! You're gonna sit tight and listen to me, before I kick your ass. 'Cause I really don't want to!" she exclaimed, surprising the girl she was holding.

She took a breath again.

"Like I said, I like you, so please stop being so freaking stubborn and listen to me, will you? Geez, you're almost as bad as that dumb blonde you love so much!" she finally exclaimed, frustrated.

"I don't..." Michiru started, but a simple glare from the fuming brunette made her shut her mouth.

"You don't love her?" Makoto finished for her "Who are you trying to fool here, me or yourself? 'Cause really, it's not working"

Michiru took a deep breath, desperately trying to fight down the tears she could already feel filling her eyes.

It was a wonder she hadn't run out of tears and simply dehydrated herself to death...

Of course she loved the dumb blonde! Even if she was trying incredibly hard not to! She loved that girl so much, that she spent half the time fighting with that part of herself that desperately wanted to just forgive the blonde and be with her again.

And she spent the other half crying her heart out.

"Look, whatever it is that that stupid blue bitch told you, it's not true" Makoto said, in a softer tone of voice.

Michiru looked up at her again, frowning.

"What did she tell you, anyway?" the brunette asked.

Michiru lowered her eyes again, the tears she had been fighting finally rolling down her cheeks. She vaguely wondered if there were permanent patterns her tears were now following, after all the crying she's been doing lately. Like a river, always following the same marked way...

"She said she's her girlfriend" she answered, in a low, broken voice "And they've been together since high school"

Makoto had to blinked a couple of times at that.

"What a fucking lying bitch!" she finally exclaimed "That fucking little piece of... God, I want to punch her teeth out!" she yelled.

Michiru looked at her confused, and somewhat scared of how seriously mad the brunette just sounded.

"Oh, don't worry" Makoto said when she noticed the way the aquamarine haired girl was looking at her "After I tell you everything you need to know, you'll be more than happy to take her teeth out yourself. Trust me!"

And then she told her.

She told the younger girl how Haruka had first met Kiho. She told her about the girl practically throwing herself to the blonde, and how Haruka had finally asked her out. She told her about them being together and hiding themselves and their romance from the world. She told her about her uncle's death, and how broken Haruka had been, and how Kiho had comforted her like the loving girlfriend she was supposed to be.

And then she told her about them being caught on the school's bathroom floor, kissing each other. She told her about all the rumors that came right after that, not sparing any detail, and about Kiho simply disappearing into thin air with the blink of an eye.

Michiru just sat there, listening to the brunette's words, suddenly understanding Haruka's fears, and understanding why the blonde had kept her at a distance for so long –why she had kept herself away from any human contact, for that matter-, and why she was so hard to reach sometimes.

And she felt a desperate need to go to her, and hold her, and kiss her senselessly, and tell her she loved her so damn much she just couldn't breath anymore without her by her side. She just needed to be with her.

"She was so hurt" Makoto said "And we never heard a thing about Kiho again up until last week, when this whole mess first started"

Michiru was crying softly, silently, and Makoto went to her, her heart softening at the girl's sad crying face.

"I know it's not my place to tell you all this, and I'm sure Haruka will definitively kill me for ever telling you, and bury my sorry ass so deep into the ground I will actually find Atlantis" Makoto said "But this whole mess is a huge misunderstanding that has gone way too far"

Michiru nodded her head, mindlessly. _She was trying to tell me. She tried to tell me, and I told her I hated her_, she thought.

And her eyes went wide open, and she stood up suddenly.

"Oh, God, I told her I hated her!" she exclaimed "I told her I hated her and that I didn't want to see her again!" her hands went to her face, and she was obviously panicking "God, I hurt her! She was trying to tell me the truth, and I just hurt her so much...."

"Hey hey, there, take it easy" Makoto told her, holding her "I didn't just tell you all this for you to die of a heart attack on me"

"You don't understand! I hurt her!" she exclaimed.

"Um, yeah, I know that" the brunette said "I've seen it, and trust me, it ain't pretty"

Michiru cried harder at that.

"Oh, God, she'll never forgive me!" she exclaimed "She must hate me so much now! I lost her! I was so stupid, and now I lost her!"

"Ok, breath!" Makoto exclaimed, taking the younger girl's face in her hands and making her look at her deep green eyes "Breath, nice and easy" she instructed "She doesn't hate you, and you didn't lose her, ok? Ok, you kinda did... but you can get her back!" she quickly said when Michiru's eyes went wide open again "She's just so crazily in love with you she'll take you back in a heartbeat!"

"I need to see her" Michiru said "I need to talk to her"

"I know" Makoto said, smiling.

"And I do love that stupid blonde" she mumbled.

"I know that too"

"But she's _my_ stupid blonde" and a soft smile came to Michiru's face.

"Trust me, you can have her all to yourself. I'll even put a little ribbon on her and all" Makoto joked, grinning "Now, just listen to cute little auntie Makoto, ok?"


	29. Snap out of it!

**29 - Snap out of it!**

Makoto finished making dinner, and asked Usagi to serve it for everyone.

Then she took a plate with some food on it in one hand, a glass of water in the other one, and made her way upstairs. She reached the closed door at the end of the hallway on the first floor, and managed to open it without letting go of the items in her hands.

The room was dark and silent.

But a movement coming from the bed told her Haruka was awake. _Probably torturing herself_, she thought.

So she put the food and the water down on the vanity, and then she turned on the light. And right after she did so, the sheets on the bed went flying up, completely hiding the blonde laying there, in the middle of the bed.

"You have to eat something, Haruka" she told her.

"Go away" was the soft, muffled replied that came from under the sheets "Just, go away and leave me alone"

"What for? So you can keep moping around and starve yourself to death?" Makoto asked, hands on her hips and standing by the bed, looking down at the human ball hidden there "Well, I'm sorry, but I can't let you do that"

She reached down and took the sheets, flying them back off of the blonde girl. She saw her laying there on a fetal position, hugging herself. Wet hot tears were running down her cheeks and then falling down to her already wet pillow.

"Oh, Haruka" she said, in a soft tone of voice.

"Just go" the blonde told her, almost begging, eyes shot closed and face hidden in the pillow.

She didn't listen to her cousin.

Instead, she let herself on the bed, laying right next to the crying blonde girl, and her arms went to hug her.

Haruka cried harder at the gesture.

"Please, Mako, just... don't" she begged her.

"I can't, Haru" Makoto answered her, kissing her forehead "I won't leave you"

She let her cry on her chest a little while, rubbing the blonde's back, while arguing with herself about what to say –or _not_ to say- to her cousin. She finally took a deep breath, and prayed to God that the blonde wouldn't kill her before she could really say anything.

"She came by today" she started. And felt the blonde stay still at her words, almost without breathing "And I talked to her"

A sniffing sound reached her ears, and she smiled at her cousin. She was so cute. Heartbroken, and incredibly hurt. And just plain stubborn.

But cute.

"She was hurt, and confused, and she said...."

"Don't!" the blonde exclaimed all of a sudden, jerking up and sitting on the bed "I don't want to hear it! Don't tell me anything!"

_They really are meant for each other!_ Makoto thought to herself, rolling her eyes.

"Would you listen to me?" she asked.

"No! I don't want to!" Haruka answered, crying harder now "I already heard it all, ok? And I really don't want to hear it again, so please, please! Just leave me alone!"

"Could you stop being so freaking stubborn and listen to me?" the brunette exclaimed, sitting up too, and looking at her cousin.

"I said no!" Haruka yelled, getting out of the bed and to the door, opening it for the brunette tall girl to walk right out of it.

"So, please!" she signaled with her hand.

Makoto rolled her eyes, got out of the bed, and shut the door close again. Hands on her hips, she looked at green crying eyes, and decided to just play along.

If yelling was what the blonde wanted, so be it!

"Look, you stupid blonde!" she yelled "you're gonna listen to me and stop interrupting me, before I kick you sorry ass so hard you won't be able to sit on it for a month!" she then let her hands fall from her hips and just shook herself, trying to regain some of her patience.

Haruka just stood there, looking at her.

She was actually a little surprised at her cousin's outburst. Makoto never yelled at her before. Not when she knew the blonde was on a really bad mood, brokenhearted, and just feeling like crap.

"That's better" Makoto said, now smiling at her "Ok, here it is. Michiru loves you, ok? Madly! But she's afraid, and scared and just..." she waved her hand in the air "So you are gonna be the best knight in shinning armor ever, and you are gonna talk to her and get her back! Got it?"

Haruka blinked, tears falling down.

"I can't" she said, softly, brokenly "I don't know where she is..."

Makoto smiled again. She took the blonde in her arms, and guided her to the bed again, where she sat down next to her, rubbing her back.

"The recital is tomorrow, right?" when the blonde simply nodded her head, she continued "Then there you have. You'll see her tomorrow night, and you'll talk to her and tell her how much you love her and all, and then you're gonna kiss her like there's no tomorrow"

The blonde cried out and gasped at the thought of kissing the aquamarine haired girl again, and looked down at her own hands.

"She won't listen..."

"Yes she will" Makoto assured her "She'll listen to you, I know she will. So all you have to do now, is stop crying so your face won't look like a punching bag tomorrow, 'cause really, you don't want to scare her off with that face, now do you?"

Haruka punched her in the arm, and Makoto giggled softly.

"There's nothing wrong with my face" the blonde mumbled.

"Want a mirror?" she joked, and the blonde looked at her, pouting cutely and frowning "Ok, sorry. My bet!"

"So... what should I do?" Haruka finally asked with a trembling voice. She was just so afraid of getting her hopes up again.

"Like I said, the first thing is to stop crying. Then, have some dinner, and some good night sleep, so you'll be all fresh and new tomorrow with no bags under your eyes" she instructed in a motherly manner "And then we're gonna go out and find something really amazing for you to wear and look totally gorgeous" she said the last two words in a teenage-like tone of voice "And then you're gonna walk into that theater, talk to the girl you love so much and win her again. Real easy."

"Yeah, right"

"It is, really. I promise!" Makoto said, and then grinned "And if it turns out I'm wrong, which I'm not, then you can kick my ass for as long and as hard as you want" she added, and when the blonde chuckled, she smiled "Deal?"

Haruka nodded her head, somewhat feeling a little better. She wasn't so sure about this whole talking to Michiru thing, but Makoto's words had made her feel a little better.

"Now, eat!" the brunette ordered "I'm gonna go talk to Minako, we're probably gonna need her help tomorrow"

And at that, Haruka's eyes went wide open.

And she was suddenly very, very scared.


	30. Freaking out

**30 - Freaking out**

An aquamarine hair beauty dressed on the most magnificent deep green silk night gown, silver high heeled sandals on her feet, and her soft curly hair falling down her back, was trying to make a hole on the dressing room's floor.

Or at least it looked like it. And the short blue haired girl sitting there on the same room, watching her, was starting to get dizzy.

Another girl, with raven long hair nicely put into a ponytail on the back of her neck, put her arms on the aquamarine goddess, stopping her.

"Would you stop it!" Rei exclaimed "Geez, you're driving me nuts!"

"I'm sorry!" Michiru exclaimed, raising her hands up in the air "I can't help it, I'm just so ... Arg! She's not here!" she exclaimed again, her foot hitting the floor "Why isn't she here yet?"

"She'll be here, just relax" Ami said to her, and secretly thanked her raven haired friend from stopping the spacing girl.

"What if she doesn't come? What if she changed her mind and just won't show up because she hates me and she doesn't want to..."

"Knock it off already!" Rei exclaimed, exasperated "You're going crazy, and you're making us crazy too!"

The aquamarine haired girl looked at her friends, and then let herself fall into the small couch.

She was worried.

She was deeply, truly worried.

What if Haruka really did hate her? Makoto had said the blonde would be there tonight. But she wasn't. Makoto had also said that it was best if she let the blonde come to speak to her, instead of the other way around, saying Haruka was just too stubborn and wouldn't listen to a word otherwise. And Michiru had agreed to that. She knew Haruka well enough to know the sexy blonde was, if anything, too damn stubborn.

But her sexy blonde wasn't there, and there was no talking going on.

And Michiru was freaking out.

"But, what if she doesn't love me anymore?" she whispered.

"Oh please!" Rei said "You look amazingly hot! She'll take one look at you and get all horny, and you'll end up having wild sex..."

"Rei!" Ami exclaimed, interrupting her friend.

"What?" the other girl asked "It's not like she's not thinking about it..."

Michiru blushed at her friend's words, but didn't say anything.

She was thinking about it. Ok, maybe not about the whole having wild sex right then and there thing. But she did think about that night she had spent with Haruka. That amazing, wonderful night, when the blonde of her dreams had first told her she loved her.

And then Michiru had completely and utterly ruin it. She was so stupid!

"It's a wonder Jadeite put ups with you!" Ami exclaimed. "The poor guy should get an award!"

"Well, what can I say? He's a horny little buster" Rei mumbled.

A knock on the door got their attention, and some voice from the other side of the door told Michiru it was her turn to go up stage.

Rei and Ami looked at each other, and then at the girl sitting next to them.

"We'll go to our seats now" Ami said "You just go out there and play like you always do. You'll be great"

Michiru nodded, mindlessly. But when she felt a pair of hands resting on her shoulders, she looked up.

Rei was softly smiling down at her. "She'll be here. Trust me. Everything will work out just fine"

She nodded, and her friends walked out of the room. She looked at herself on the mirror one last time, contemplating the way the dress hugged her body. The dress she had bought with Haruka...

_Stop thinking! God, I'm going crazy!_ She told herself.

So she took a deep breath, stoop up, took her violin out of the case, and walked out of the room. She found Mr. Kikawada spacing right behind the stage, and she got suddenly really scared.

Haruka wasn't there yet...

"Oh, there you are!" Mr. Kikawada exclaimed suddenly, looking at somewhere behind her, relief written all over his face.

Michiru frowned, and then slowly, almost scarily, turned around.

And there, making her way up to her, was the most amazing, incredible, and just beautiful woman to ever walk this earth. Her heart stopped beating, and her breath got caught in her throat, as she looked at the blonde woman she loved so deeply.

Haruka had her blonde hair on it's traditional style, but with one simple golden clip on one side, keeping some of her short locks away from her face.

And she was wearing make up. It was simple, and it looked really natural on her. A bronze eye shadow faded into a more golden shade when it came down to her long, black eyelashes, successfully bringing out her green eyes. Her cheeks were a little faded pink, but Michiru thought maybe it was because she was hurriedly walking towards them.

But there was definitively some lipstick there, a very light, very natural shade of some bronze color Michiru couldn't identify.

But the part that got her breath away was not the make up, but what the tall blonde was wearing.

_She got the dress_, Michiru thought, looking down at Haruka's perfect, tall body, covered with that yellow, sexy dressed she had forced into the blonde when they had went out shopping.

And she look so amazingly sexy and beautiful, that for a moment Michiru wondered if she was actually dreaming.

"You look lovely" Mr. Kikawada said, once the tall blonde had reached them "Now get out there, both of you!" he exclaimed, and before either one of the girls could even say a word to each other, they were both almost thrown out to the stage.

And the younger girl felt as if she was being thrown into a lions cage.

She saw the blonde making her way to the black grand piano, noticing the movement of her hips, and she gulped.

_Is she wearing high heels again?_ she wondered, _God, she looks so beautiful_.

She put her violin under her chin, and looked into Haruka's green eyes.

And without any gesture nor word, they both simply started playing, perfectly in time. And Michiru closed her eyes, not wanting to see those green eyes she missed so much, and just letting the music take her somewhere far away.

A place where she could be with Haruka, just the two of them.

The song was originally meant to be a soft, almost sad one. Like saying goodbye to a loved one. But because of the untold feelings floating between the two girls, its sounded so incredibly broken, that the audience was completely and helplessly under the spell of the two girls playing.

And then it was over, and Michiru heard people clapping their hands at them.

She opened her eyes in time to see Haruka standing up from her seat, and walking to the edge of the stage. They both took a bow, and the moment the curtains fell down, Michiru just ran out of there, and away from the blonde, tears filling her eyes again.

_She didn't even look at me like she used to..._ Michiru thought desperately to herself, _She hates me, God she hates me!_

She went back into the dressing room they had point out to her for the night, and fell down to the chair in front of the mirror.

Somehow she managed to put her violin away on it's case without braking it, and then she simply let herself cry.

She cried for her lost innocence. She cried for her broken home and her dead father. She cried for her loneliness. She cried for the long gone days she had spent with the girl of her dreams.

But most of all, she cried for losing her.

For being blind enough and childish enough, and just so bloody stupid, to actually let Haruka go, losing her forever.

She didn't know how long she just sat there, crying her heart out. Bur suddenly, she heard someone yelling from outside the room.

It was Haruka, and she was yelling at someone. She could recognize that deep husky voice anywhere, anytime.

Michiru frowned, and listened to the yelling going on outside. And then her eyes went wide open, surprised at what she had just heard the blonde yelled about, and she turned around on her chair when the door to her dressing room opened, and a tall blonde woman dressed on a yellow night gown came in, shutting the door behind her, and resting against it, with her eyes closed.

The blonde then opened her eyes and shook herself. And then she seemed to remember where she was, and she looked up at the girl sitting there.

"Um, sorry about that" she said, pointing at the closed door behind her, and blushing the most adorable shade of red.


	31. Listen to me now

Don't you guys want to know what Haruka was yelling about? No, all you want is a hot sex makeup scene.... oh well....

Too bad!

Enjoy

----------------

**31 - Listen to me now**

The moment Michiru ran out of stage and away from her, Haruka blinked, surprised, and just stood there, frozen to the spot.

But her stupor only lasted a few seconds, before she snapped herself out of it and ran right after the girl.

She ran into some assistant in the hallway, and asked him for directions to Michiru's changing room. And then she ran off again, leaving a surprised looking young man staring after her.

But she didn't care. She was running out of time! She found the door she had been pointed at, and was just about to knock when...

"Haruka, darling!" she heard that annoying voice right next to her "You look so lovely tonight! I swear you make my heart stop!"

_Dear God! Not now!_, she growled, and turned around, willing to make the guy leave her alone for once and for all. Even if she had to murder him to do so!

"Keiichi" she started.

But the guy kept talking "I know your family's out there waiting for you, but I was thinking that maybe you and I could go and have dinner..."

"Keiichi" she tried again, slowly but surely losing her patience "I don't really have the time for this..."

"I know what you're going to say, darling" he interrupted her "But just give me a chance, please. It's all I ask, one chance to show you how..."

"Keiichi!" she yelled, finally losing it, and successfully making every single person on that hallway to turn and look at her.

"I'm a lesbian!" she yelled again, not really caring that now everyone was staring at her, some eyebrows raised, some looking at her with amused smiles.

Some giving her that hateful glare.

"You are?" Keiichi asked, surprised "But I thought that was just a rumor..."

"Well, it's not! I've been trying to tell you that for ages!" she kept yelling "I'm gay, and you... you have a _dick_ for God's sake!" she was yelling so hard she actually thought she would lose her own voice any second now "And I don't like those! 'Cause I'm a big, full time, twenty four seven, _huge_ freaking lesbian!" she was waiving her arms in the air by now "And I'm in love with a woman! So _please_, back off!"

She then turned and looked around the now full hallway "You heard me! I'm a lesbian, a really big one! Deal with it!"

And with that, she opened the dressing room door, got in, and shut it behind her, laying against it and closing her eyes, trying to calm her raging heart.

_Dear God! What a nightmare!_ she thought to herself, taking a deep breath.

She opened her eyes again, and shook herself, trying to somehow get rid of all those stares and wide eyes, and that stupid surprised look on Keiichi's face when she had just yelled at him.

She then realized she was now on Michiru's dressing room, and the girl was sitting on a chair, looking at her with her beautiful blue eyes wide open.

And Haruka blushed, embarrassed at her not so little outburst.

"Um, sorry about that" she apologized.

Michiru just blinked at her, trying to decide if she was surprised at the blonde's broadcast yelled confession about her sexuality, or just simply surprised at the blonde being there.

"Look, I know you said you don't want to see me again, and I got the point. I did!" she exclaimed, when she saw the other girl was just about to say something, putting her palms up in the air to stop her from doing so.

"Just hear me out, ok? There's something I need you to know, so please. And then I swear I'll leave you alone and you'll never see me again. I'll be out of your life for good. But just listen to me first, ok?"

Michiru nodded her head.

"Ok" she whispered.

Haruka took a deep breath, and slowly let it out, not once looking away from deep blue eyes.

"I know you hate me, and I know I probably deserve it. And I know you deserve a whole lot better than me, I know that, I'm not that stupid. You are just so amazing that I don't even know how to put it into words. You reminded me what it feels like to be alive. You made me feel like maybe I'm something more than just a freaking weirdo with a stupid obsession over pancakes" the blonde said, smiling sadly, remembering her brother's words.

"Haruka..." Michiru began, her eyes full of tears.

"No, please, let me finished" the blonde asked "Just let me say this... You're so amazing, and so beautiful, and just so perfect, and with you I feel like the happiest, luckiest woman to ever walk this fucked up world. And I know I'm not good with words, and I know I'm not even worth it, and that I'm just a stupid blonde with a really bad language" she was crying by now, her tears rolling down her cheeks, lips trembling "But I'm in love with you"

The aquamarine haired girl chocked in her own tears at the blonde's words. She wanted to answered her, but she couldn't find her own voice.

"And that night... that was the most amazing night of my entire life" Haruka continued, with the most pleading, sincere, transparent look in her eyes.

She looked so vulnerable and so lost, that Michiru thought she was just about to brake.

"And I didn't lie. When I told I love you, I meant it, and I still do" she closed her eyes for a second, trying to stop the tears coming down her cheeks, but failed miserably. So she looked up at the aquamarine haired girl again, green eyes now almost transparent with tears "I love you, Michiru. With all my heart, for whatever that's worth... I swear I do"

She looked down again. There, it was done. She had played her cards, and now everything was out in the open. She took a deep breath, and looked up at the silent girl sitting in front of her, and she smiled sadly at her.

_I love you too, Ruka_, Michiru thought.

But she couldn't say it out loud. She had lost her voice. And she couldn't move either. She could only stay there, looking into the tall woman's eyes.

"And there's nothing between Kiho and I" the blonde added, as if remembering it at the last minute.

And her only answer was the younger girl nodding her head.

"I wasn't playing with you. I just thought you should know that"

_I know, Ruka! I'm sorry, I'm so sorry I hurt you!_, but again, she couldn't speak.

And when she saw the tall blonde woman turning around, hand reaching upfor the door knob, the young girl started to panicked.

_Say something! She's leaving!_ She was going to lose her, to really, truly lose her if she didn't say anything!

_I love you! Don't leave, please! Haruka!_

She didn't know she had actually screamed the blonde's name out loud until she saw her turning back around to look at her, door half open and knob still in hand.

And the aquamarine haired girl had launched herself, without really knowing she was doing it, towards the door and closed it again with the force of her own body.

"You're wrong" Michiru finally said.


	32. Take me home

**32 - Take me home**

Haruka just blinked at her.

She was, to put it simple, surprised out of her shoes. Michiru had simply stood there, sitting on that damn chair all through her entire little speech, and said absolutely nothing. And then all of a sudden she had screamed her name and jumped up to the door, closing it.

And now she was standing against it, looking up at her.

Michiru didn't know she had just done that until she felt the door's surface against her back.

_Great move, you idiot!_ she scolded herself, _As if she can't simply push you away and walk right out! Smart, really smart!_

"You're wrong" Michiru said again "I'm not perfect. Not even close. I mean, you..." she looked down, not really knowing what to say or how to say it.

Mindlessly, she reached her hand up to the blonde's stomach, and felt her shiver under her soft touch "You're wearing the dress"

"Huh?" Haruka said, and then looked down at Michiru's hand on her stomach, softly fingering the material of her yellow dress. "Oh!.. Um, yeah..."

Michiru smiled, still looking down.

"You're so wrong, Haruka" she said, her voice soft and barely a whisper "I'm anything but perfect. I'm just the stupid little girl that hurt you" she looked up at her again "There's no one better than you, and you _are_ worth it. God! You're so worth it!" she exclaimed "And I didn't mean all those things I said, I swear! I don't hate you, and I can't stand being without you and... And I love you so much, and I'm so sorry I..."

She didn't even have the chance to finish. Because the moment she felt two hands lifting her face up, and soft lips crushing down against hers and interrupting her little speech, her arms flew around the tall woman's neck, her small frame pressed against Haruka's body. Tongues dancing together, theirs mouths devouring each other in the most desperate but yet incredibly sweet manner.

When they finally broke apart, out of breath, Haruka rested her forehead against Michiru's', closing her eyes, and trying to convince herself she wasn't dreaming.

"I love you" she said, her arms going around the girl's waist and holding her tight "I love you. I love you!"

"I love you too" Michiru said "And I'm sorry, I should of trusted you. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I hurt you like this..." she felt the blonde's lips on her neck, right under her ear, kissing the sensitive skin there "God, Ruka, I love you so much!"

Michiru broke away from the embrace, just enough to cup the blonde's cheeks in her hands, looking at her deep green eyes. She softly caressed the blonde's wet cheeks with her thumbs, her own blue eyes filled with tears.

"I miss you so much. Please, forgive me..."

Haruka kissed her lips softly, interrupting her. "How can I not, when I can't even breath without you? I love you! So, so much"

"Oh, Ruka" Michiru breathed, closing the gap between them again.

They kissed deeply again, more desperate now, one leg going up and around the blonde's hip, wanting, _needing_ to feel her close to her again. Her hands messing with short blonde hair.

And Haruka seemed to be feeling exactly the same way, because she soon felt the tall woman's leg coming between her own, pressing and brushing against her.

And Michiru desperately rocked her hips, feeling like she was on fire, going mad with the growing desire. Her own hands going between them to cup soft breasts, and started massaging them, teasing the already hard nipples.

She let out a gasp when she felt Haruka's mouth on her neck, sucking.

"Oh, God, Ruka" she breathed on her ear "I need you so much"

She felt the blonde's hands lifting her long dress, and she soon helped her on the task, hurriedly rolling the skirt up to her hips.

Haruka fell down on her knees, hands grabbing the girl's hips, her lips kissing over white laced underwear.

"Ruka, please..." Michiru begged, spreading her legs as far as she could on her position, standing there, back pressed against the door.

Haruka was more than happy to obey. She desperately needed to taste her, to have her, to make that beautiful goddess hers again. She put one of Michiru's legs over her shoulder, the other one firmly on the floor, and made the white underwear aside, tilting her head up and pressing her lips, licking and sucking her clit, hard.

Michiru moan deeply, tilting her head back, and she had to bite her own lips to try not to scream in pure pleasure as Haruka's tongue kept on teasing her swollen clit at the same time that two fingers entered her, curving slightly and finding the right spot immediately.

She rocked her hips furiously against the blonde's mouth and skilful fingers, needing more of her, and started trembling and shaking, uncontrolled, breathing heavily and trying hard not to scream.

The blonde felt the girl spasms, and sucked hard, thrusting her fingers deeper, feeling Michiru's walls closing around them. Michiru's orgasm was so strong and so sudden, that left her shaking, barely able to stand anymore, but nowhere near satisfied.

"You taste so fucking delicious" the blonde said, with a lustful, husky voice, crazy with desire.

Michiru just looked at her, eyes still blurry with the force of her release.

And when Haruka went up to her lips again, she kissed her hard on the mouth, passionately, and pushed her towards the sofa. The blonde's back falling to the soft pillows lying there, Michiru kneeling right in front of her, her hands rapidly working on the knot at the other girl's neck, making the soft fabric of her dress fall down and expose those perfect white breasts, pink nipples just screaming for her attention.

She took one of Haruka's breasts in her mouth, licking it, sucking it, loving the sweet, salty taste of the blonde's already sweaty skin.

One hand went to the other breast, nipple hard against her palm, the other one making its way south, under the girl's dress and to the sweet, hot spot between her long legs. She felt the damp underwear with her fingers, and looked up, locking her gaze with green, lustful eyes.

"You're so beautiful" Michiru said, making the underwear aside just enough to slide two fingers inside her.

Haruka closed her eyes, head falling back and arching her back, a deep moan escaping her lips as the young girl wasted no time entering her, and she moved her hips, desperately needing her release.

Michiru's mouth soon followed the path of her fingers, taking the blonde with her mouth, sucking her, licking her, and loving her wet, sweet taste.

Haruka's hands grabbed the edge of the sofa to somehow steady herself, knuckles going white, back arched and hips going up towards those lips that were so deliciously torturing her, sucking on her, and making her mad with hot pure desire.

"Oh God! Michi!" she breathed, when she felt those fingers thrusting furiously inside her, hitting her G point hard, and making the world around her spin so fast she thought she was going to die of pure ecstasy.

Michiru felt her coming, and went up to the blonde's lips again, her fingers thrusting frantically, and kissed her hard on the mouth, muffling Haruka's scream of pleasure as the blonde came.

She gave her sometime to recover, softly caressing the blonde's cheek with her free hand, bringing the other one up to her own mouth.

"You look so beautiful when you come" Michiru said, smiling, and licking her wet fingers, testing the blonde's release with her tongue "Did you know that?"

Haruka looked at her, getting aroused again over the aquamarine haired girl's devilish expression while she licked her fingers, and her teasing words.

She reached for her, grabbing her by the waist and making her come up to her, the younger girl now straddling the blonde and playing with soft short locks at the back of her neck.

"I love you so much" Haruka said to the girl on her lap.

Michiru gazed down at her, eyes so full of love and desire, and traced the girls lips with her thumb, softly caressing her.

"I love you too, Ruka" she answered her, kissing the tip of her nose "I love you so" she kissed her cheek now "so much" she breathed, lowering her lips to hers.

Tongues dancing together, now slowly but sensually, both girls wanting, needing more of each other. Haruka reached up and grabbed the younger girl's shoulder, her hands slowly making their way down soft arms, bringing the dress' straps down with them.

Soft, full breasts now brushing against her own naked ones. She moved her hands to Michiru's inner thighs, and was just about to let her long fingers slide inside her again, when a knock on the door stopped her dead on her tracks.

Michiru looked down at her, eyes wide open, and they were both thinking the same thing.

_Oh shit!_

"Michiru? Are you still in there?" came a female voice from the other side of the door.

The aquamarine haired girl got off the blonde fast, making quick work of her dress and trying to compose herself.

"I'll be right out!" she answered, looking at Haruka, who was tiding her dress up again at the back of her neck, covering herself.

Haruka got off the sofa, mimicking the younger girl previous movements and composing herself as best as she could. She felt Michiru's helping hands rearranging the soft yellow material on her hips so it would slide down correctly, and she smiled down at her.

They locked their eyes, sharing an accomplice, secret smile.

"Michiru? It's kind of... urgent" the voice insisted.

Michiru giggled, saw the blonde chuckling herself, and made her way to the door, opening it.

"What is it, Ami?" she asked to the girl standing there.

Ami took a look at her, and then at the tall blonde girl standing behind her, and smiled at them both, nervously and a little embarrassed.

"Oh, hi! You must be Haruka, right?" she asked, but before she could get any answers, she started talking again to the aquamarine haired girl "Sorry to bother you like this... but there's a girl down the hall saying she needs to talk to you, and she looks really angry... Rei's trying to hold her down" she looked at the blonde briefly, as if apologizing "but if you don't go out there, I think she's going to kill her. And then me"

Michiru frowned at her cousin's worried expression.

Haruka grinned.

"Let me guess" she said "Tall, brown hair in a ponytail, black and green dress?"

Ami blinked, surprised "Yes, that's exactly her! How did you know?"

"That's Makoto" the blonde answered "Don't worry, she's harmless" she assured the blue haired girl. But when Michiru looked up at her with a raised eyebrow and an amused but questioning expression on her face, she added "Ok, she's not harmless. But don't worry, she won't kill you, promise"

Michiru turned around to grab her violin case, and then both girls walked out of the room, holding hands, and joining Ami. They walked down the hallway, and sure enough there was a tall, brunette girl wrapped on a knee length, tight, strapless black dress that faded to a dark green at the end.

She seemed to be mad.

Another girl, with long raven hair that reached her waist and tied at her neck in a low ponytail, wearing a black cocktail dress was holding her ground, not letting the other girl walk past her.

"I have to talk to her!" the brunette was saying "You don't understand! I need to talk to Michiru!"

"I'm here, what is it?" Michiru said, gaining all the attention to herself.

"Michiru!" Makoto exclaimed "I can't find Haruka, I don't know where she is. But you have to go and find her, and talk to her and..."

"Hi, Mako" the blonde called out to her, amused.

"Hi" the brunette answered automatically, and then turned back to Michiru. And then back to the tall blonde again "Haruka!" she exclaimed, surprised.

"I thought you were over your 'bad girl' phase" the blonde said "So why are you scaring these girls off?"

"I am... I wasn't!" she blinked, and that's when she noticed her cousin holding the young violinist hand in hers, fingers interlaced "I thought you left, and I was trying to get Michiru to go and find you" she answered, with an embarrassed smile on her pretty face and playing with her ponytail.

"Then why didn't you just say so?" Rei exclaimed "I would of help you in a heartbeat! I was getting so fed up with the whole 'I love her, I miss her, I lost her' act this one's been putting up on me the whole week!" she said, pointing at the now blushing aquamarine haired girl.

"Rei! Don't be mean!" Ami scolded her.

"Oh, you would've just loved the crying zombie act this one put up on me!" Makoto said to Rei, pointing at Haruka.

"Alright, we get the point!" Haruka exclaimed, embarrassed, and somewhat annoyed at her cousin.

"So, you two good now?" Makoto asked them.

Both girls nodded, looking and smiling at each other.

"So you won't be kicking my ass, then?" she asked again, smiling, this time to the tall blonde girl.

Haruka looked at her and smile evilly "Oh I'm sure I can find one reason or another..."

"Sure you can" she answered, waving her hand and completely dismissing the comment "Now, let's go! There's a reception with nice food and lots of champagne waiting for us!" and with that, she turned around, walking away, soon followed by a short blue haired girl, and a raven one.

Haruka was about to followed after her as well, when the soft hand in hers gently stopped her from doing so.

"Ruka?" Michiru called, a warm, loving smile on her lips.

"Yes, Michi?" she asked, smiling lovingly at her, thumb caressing the soft hand she was still holding.

"Take me home"


	33. Epilogue! Life is good!

Ok, before I let you read this sweet at first, but then just plain crazy epilogue (I actually cracked up myself while writing it... and my mom's seriously thinking I've finally lost it... even my dog's looking at me like saying "what the hell is wrong with you this time?"), here's some things you probably need to know (or not...)

For Michiru's night gown, think Keira Knightley on "Atonement". You know, the dress she wore during the whole library (HOT!) sex scene? I just loved that dress! (and of course I love anything that's green) So that's what I was going for (kinda), but I did took some liberties and changed it a bit. And of course Michiru has bigger boobs. Don't get me wrong, I still think Keira Knightley's hot stuff! And anyone who disagrees with me on that one, is just blind and stupid! (I mean, honestly! Come on!)

For Haruka's dress, think Keri Russell on that "August rush" last scene. But yellow-gold, instead of white-silver. Don't you just LOVE that dress??? It's so elegant and sexy, but so simple! Too bad I can't wear a dress like that 'cause my boobs are too big! (guess where Makoto's trauma came from!)

About Haruka in general. I was going for the manga version. You know, where she dresses herself as a male, but still wears female outfits from time to time, just because she feels like it. I was trying to make her look kinda like Angelina Jolie on that "Tomb Rider" movie and her whole "I'm not a lady, but I'm still hot stuff and you know it!" attitude (although I truly, deeply DON'T like Angelina Jolie AT ALL! And I really DON'T think she's hot or pretty, UNLIKE the Haruka I was trying to describe here). Threw a little Kate Moennig in there (she's SO hot!) and the way she dresses in "The L word", and her deep sexy-sexy husky voice (sigh!), and you get the picture. So, hope I did a half decent job on that one...

Just for the record, my idea of a pretty girl is more like Rachel McAdams or Natalie Portman. And Kate Moennig, of course. And Pink. And Shirley Manson (SO in love with those two!). And my idea of a hot guy is Jake Gyllenhaal, goofy face and all, or Edward Norton (and he's a great actor too!). Oh! And Ryan Gosling! (so hot!) Or Johnny Depp on pretty much anything he does. And of course Axl Rose on that "sweet child of mine" video, with those tight leather pants, swinging his hips... so hot! (drooling here) I was SO in love with him when I was 9! (that explains a lot about me....). OK, babbling now! You get the point, right? I'm crazy, I know!

And I SO agree with Haruka's deep hate for shopping! I mean, come on! What a nightmare! I'm crazy when it comes to lingerie and shoes (really, I should get professional help for that), but I always know what I want and where to get it! I just get in, buy the stuff, and get out! FAST! What's the point on walking around, and trying clothes on that you're so not going to buy? BORING! And those crazy sales ladies? Dear God! Kill me now! (or them... preferably them!)

About Haruka-Mamoru relationship. I always thought those two are so alike, you know? They're both willing to do anything for the ones they love, and there's so many FF making the two of them hating each other that I wanted my own little twist to change that... At first I wanted to make Usagi and Minako twin sisters (imagine poor Haruka having two crazy blondes as little sisters!). But then Mamoru wouldn't have had such a meaningful part on the story, and so I asked myself, "what if they're brother and sister?". So, there you have it... the whole making Haruka confess scene was just me being mean to my favorite blonde, since the important part was the beach scene, when our sexy blonde just broke down and Mamoru was being the wonderful older brother we all wish we had!

About Haruka's little confession-speech to Michiru. I know some of you think it was way too easy for Michiru to get her back, and Haruka's speech was bittersweet. BUT! I have to say I've been on Haruka's shoes, when someone walks out on you without much of an explanation and you're just so lost and willing to do anything to make things right again, but deep down inside you're just scared, and hurt, and you don't really know if there's any hope left. And you just feel completely and utterly worthless. Add to that that our lovely blonde has been through that once already, only this time she's truly, madly in love with our aqua haired girl. And they only spent a week apart, so it's not long enough for our blonde to just pick her heart up from the floor and keep moving.

I'm mean, I know. But, hey! They get together in the end! After a really nice, good heartily, skin friendly, hot sex makeup session (did you know sweating, and there for sex, is a great way to make your skin clean and shiny? Don't waste your money on stupid lotions! Go out and have sex! It's a whole lot funnier than putting weird stuff on your face, anyway!)

And last but not least, The Family! Some of the arguments are based on my real, dysfunctional family. You should see us playing carioca (a card game), screaming at each other. My aunt telling my older brother he's a cheater (which is true!), and he would grin and say we're all just mad at him 'cause he's winning (which is NOT true, 'cause he's cheating!). And then my mom would say something like "I knew that lady was lying when she told me you'll be a nice boy when I first got you on that supermarket". And he would say we should all worship him, 'cause he's greater than God. And then my crazy redhead cousin would try to kick him under the table, only to end up hitting her knee hard, and scream out in pain leaving me half deaf, and I would tell her she's hopelessly clumsy (looks who's talking!), and then I would start singing some stupid song just to ignore them all... And a two year old girl would be dancing around us (my cousin's daughter), or chasing down a terrible almost three year old little nightmare I like to call my nephew (my sister's son)... You get the picture, right?

Some of the crazy conversation are based on me and my crazy, crazy friends. They successfully crack me up every time, talking about nothing at all and saying all kinds of weird, stupid things, like "I don't like him, he moans like a girl!" (WTF!) Or "I'm bored, let's go out and find some dicks!" (yes, one of them is constantly horny and seriously crazy!) I swear they're nuts! Love them anyway! (or because of that...)

Anyway! Thanks again for reading! I honestly didn't think I would get so many great reviews! (some of those from authors I actually read and like! Yay me!) I just wrote this down because the story's been jumping in my head for a while and I just HAD to write it!

Here's the epilogue! Enjoy!! Good luck to you all, and a million times thank you again!

* * *

**Epilogue - Life is good!**

The early morning sun bathed the bedroom from the opened balcony doors. There were two naked bodies laying in the bed, slowly waking up to the morning light.

She wrapped her arms around a soft, thin, naked waist, gently kissing a long white neck. And she smiled against the warm skin when she felt one hand messing with her hair, and another one softly making patterns on her bare back.

She rested her blonde head on the soft, warm chest of the girl laying next to her on the bed.

"Promise me you'll be here tomorrow" she whispered softly "Just like this"

Blue eyes looked at her. She knew what the blonde was talking about, and she felt painfully guilty upon hearing those words.

But she couldn't help herself from smiling down at her and say "Just like this? Just how insatiable are you? Honestly!" she joked.

The blonde looked up at her, smiling innocently.

"You really want me to answer that?" but then she grinned mischievously "It's not like I can help it. You're hot! What can a girl do?"

She giggled sweetly, and then gently guided that cute blonde head to rest upon her chest again, softly caressing her short locks.

"I'll be here for as long as you want me to" she answered the girl's first comment in a soft, lovingly low voice.

"How does forever sound to you?" the blonde looked up from her place on her chest.

She smiled "Not long enough"

------------------

She was lazily dozing off, enjoying the feel of the warm morning sun kissing her skin on the last days of the summer.

She could hear happy, childish laughter coming from the general direction of the pool, and the sound of splashing water.

She was laying on a resting chair near the pool, one long leg hanging off the armchair, happily resting on a soft pillow.

A pillow that was attached to a hand that was softly playing with her short blonde hair, another one had found its way under her yellow t-shirt and was now gently caressing her stomach.

There was also the definitive feeling of two round, perfect breasts right under her resting head, slowly coming up and down with a steady breathing movement. And there were two long, soft legs right at her side, coming from the pillow under her, that she was mindlessly caressing.

Life was good.

She had finally finished working with her baby, and she had won her last car race, as usual. She was an excellent piano player –or so everyone told her-, and she was taking care of her family.

This morning she had woken up –pretty much like she has been doing for the last month and a half- to the feeling of her current pillow wrapped around her body, the sweet, loving scent of long curly hair reaching her nose, and a soft, steady breathing caressing her neck.

And she was happily, madly, helplessly in love with said pillow.

A small, content smile reached her lips. A smile that got bigger when she heard her pillow talking to her.

"What are you smiling about?" was the question that reached her ears.

She opened her green eyes and tilted her face up, looking to the lovely, beautiful face of her girlfriend, and into her warm blue eyes. Soft aquamarine curls tickling her forehead.

Her girlfriend. The tall blonde woman was still amazed at that one. The great, independent, strong Haruka Tenoh had a loving girlfriend she was crazy about. Go figure! The only reason she knew for sure she wasn't dreaming, was the fact that not even her wildest dreams could ever do the beautiful, charming, sweet Michiru any justice.

"I was just thinking" she answered.

A perfect aquamarine eyebrow raised up "Oh yeah? What about?"

"You" she simply answered.

A warm smile reached those soft, perfect lips.

"Love you" Michiru whispered softly.

"Love you too, babe" she replied, before those perfect lips came in contact with hers, for a sweet, deep kiss.

"Would you two knock it off?" a female voice interrupted them "You're supposed to be watching the girls!"

Haruka looked at her sister, and then at the pool.

She could still hear laughing, and she could see a black little head, and a violet haired one. Hotaru was playing with her friend, both girls chasing one another, splashing around at the pool and laughing, and just being two happy little girls on a summer day.

"They're not drowning, they're ok" she said.

"'They're not'...? You're hopeless!" Minako exclaimed, raising her hands in the air "Can't you two spend five minutes without ravishing each other? Five minutes! It's all I ask!"

"What's going on here?" came Makoto's voice from behind the _ravishing_ couple, as Minako had put it.

"These two being practically glued together!" Minako exclaimed, pointing at the couple "That's what's going on! Geez, get a room already!"

The brunette soon came to them, and took a seat right besides them. She then looked at her cousin and her girlfriend, both looking back at her with an innocent expression on their faces that the tall brunette was just not buying.

She turned to the younger blonde standing there.

"So? They're young, they're in love, and they're horny" the brunette said, making Haruka and Michiru both blushing "It's only normal, let them be. It's not like they're turning you on or something"

Haruka smirked at the last words, and Minako just blinked, surprised.

"What? Of course not!" she exclaimed, and then she narrowed her eyes "What side are you on?"

The tall blonde woman looked at her sister, and a sudden thought popped itself into her head, and she smiled. That tiny little devil inside of her coming to life again, and talking to her. Not that she was trying to keep it quiet, anyway, where's the fun in _that_?

"Oh, come on! At least I'm not the one snicking into the house at five in the morning and then trying to pretend I spent the night home" she said to her.

Again, Minako blinked a couple of times "How..." And she then blushed, deeply, and crossed her arms over her chest "I don't know what you're talking about"

"Oh, please!" Makoto exclaimed, faking annoyance "I live with one married couple, and a very horny one, and I sleep like a baby!"

"We have thick walls" Haruka mumbled. Michiru punched her in the arm "What? It's true!"

"But you!" Makoto continued, pointing at Minako, looking her up and down "You make so much noise every time you snick in, I swear you could wake up the dead!"

"I do not!" the young blonde exclaimed, offended.

"Um, yeah, you kinda do" was Michiru's comment "We actually have bets going on, trying to guess at what time she'll be coming home" she said to the brunette sitting on the chair next to her.

"Uh, sounds fun! I want in!" Makoto said "Or is it some kind of kinky bet?" she then added, frowning "'Cause if it is, I so don't want to know about it!"

"Makoto!" Michiru exclaimed, blushing again.

"What do you do all night long with dear old Kunzite, anyway?" Haruka asked her sister, trying to get the conversation back to the younger blonde girl, and off her bed activities with her girlfriend.

Minako blushed such a cute, deep shade of red, that if she had green hair she would of make a perfect tomato "We talk"

"Is that how you, young people, call it these days?" the brunette asked, grinning.

"Oh, I wouldn't call it that" Haruka said, grinning back at her cousin "Not according to that red face! Are you trying to make me an auntie?" she asked, looking at her sister again "Or you're just going for a record?"

"Shut up, dumbass! We do talk!" Minako exclaimed, embarrassed.

"Sweetie, you're burring yourself deeper" the aquamarine haired girl warned her, smiling at the poor young blonde.

"Unless they _do_ talk" Makoto said at the same time, looking at Haruka "You know, _dirty_ talk. During long, hot, sweaty sessions?"

"See what I mean?" Michiru said, pointing at the brunette.

"Oh, Kunzy, you're so sexy!" Makoto exclaimed, faking an out of breath, sensual tone of voice "Oh, yes, right there! Oh, my, you're _huge_!"

Haruka cracked up at that, laughing hard, and Minako just stood there, furiously blushing and incredibly embarrassed.

Makoto started moaning, grabbing the armchair with her hands and closing her eyes, rocking herself on the chair and tilting her head back.

"Oh, God, oh yes, Kunzy, yes!" she breathed "Harder, harder!" she was gasping wildly now "Do me hard! Holly shit!" she almost screamed.

"Are you done?" Haruka asked her, now actually getting embarrassed herself over Makoto's fake orgasm.

But when her cousin looked back at her grinning like a satisfied maniac, she quickly added "Was it good?"

"Oh yeah, totally worth it!" the brunette answered, fanning herself with one hand.

"Shut up, bitch!" Minako exclaimed "That's what you do with Nephrite!" she accused.

"Hey, at least I don't hide the fact that he fucks my brains out!" the tall woman said "And he's great at it! And he _is_ huge, may I add!"

"Ok!" Haruka exclaimed, sitting up and raising her hands up in the air "_Way_ too much information!" a set of arms got her back down, and she cuddled next to her girlfriend, looking for shelter on the aquamarine haired girl's stomach.

"Dear God, I'm gonna have nightmares for months!" she mumbled, shutting her eyes.

"Knock it off, you two" Michiru said, while softly caressing the now traumatized blonde's head "Let the poor girl be"

"Have you ever heard of the word privacy?" Minako exclaimed "You're all hopeless!" and then she walked away and inside the house, fuming over her crazy, crazy relatives.

"Is she mad? I think she's mad" Makoto said, looking after the young blonde "Oh, well... too bad!" she exclaimed, getting up and walking to the pool "Hey girls, wanna play pool volleyball?" she asked, smiling, and then took her t-shirt off, getting into the pool when the girls looked up at her and screamed happily.

"I think I need therapy" Haruka whispered, looking up to her girlfriend.

"That's what you get for being so mean to your sister" she answered her.

But when the blonde pouted cutely, she smiled at her and added, in a low, sensual tone of voice "Oh, don't worry, love, I'm sure I can come up with a way to make you forget all about it"

The blonde smiled at that "Promise?"

"Of course" she answered, smiling back at her and winking.

Haruka rested her head back on her girlfriend's stomach, still smiling, and wondering how long until she could get Michiru upstairs and to their bedroom.

A happy, content sigh escaped her lips.

Oh, yes, life was good.

Life was very, very good, indeed.

THE END!


End file.
